FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Adapted Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the position is on the proposal for an Adapted Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her answer of 30 October 2006,  Official Report, column 242W, on Afghanistan, what measures the Pakistan President indicated would be taken to deal with the Taliban and reduce the level of activity across the border into Afghanistan.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in implementing the Action Plan for Peace, Reconciliation and Justice in Afghanistan; and whether she expects the programme to meet commitments set out in the Afghanistan Compact.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been received from the Pakistan Government on steps to secure the Pakistan-Afghanistan border; and what UK assistance is being considered.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the last annual review under the terms of the Enduring Relationship Declaration between the UK and Afghanistan took place; what the findings of the review were; and what priorities were agreed for the next period.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Cluster Munitions

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to call for a ban on cluster munitions at the Conference on Certain Conventional Weapons.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Cluster Munitions

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment her Department's human rights monitors have made of the use of cluster bombs; why those used in the Lebanon-Israel conflict were not referred to in her Department's Human Rights Annual Report 2006; if she will ensure that such a reference is included in the next report; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Cuba

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place between her Department's officials and officials from the US Administration about Cuba.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

EU Member States (Visa Requirements)

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with the relevant departments of the Governments of  (a) other European Union states and  (b) candidate states for admission to the European Union on the visa requirements for entry of (i) British subjects and (ii) British citizens;
	(2)  which  (a) nations within the European Union and  (b) candidate states for entry to the European Union apply different visa requirements for (i) British subjects and (ii) British citizens.

Liam Byrne: I have been asked to reply.
	There are no visa requirements for British citizens or British subjects who fall under Article 17 of the EC Treaty who wish to travel to countries in the EU. However, all the EU member states (excluding the UK) impose visa requirements on certain British nationals who do not fall under this definition. This depends on the category of passport they hold (e.g. British Overseas Citizen passport or British Protected Persons passport) and the length of stay in a member state.
	With regard to the candidate countries wishing to join the European Union (Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Turkey), only Turkey requires British citizens or subjects as defined under Article 17 of the EC Treaty to obtain a visa. All candidate countries currently impose visa requirements on certain British nationals depending on the category of passport they hold.
	The Government have participated in discussions with all EU member states, Bulgaria and Romania as part of negotiations on a European Commission proposal to amend the Common Visa List. The Common Visa List applies to Schengen participants that implement the Schengen visa provisions (this excludes the UK and the Republic of Ireland). The current proposals would give British Nationals (Overseas) visa-free access, but would retain the visa requirement for certain other categories of British national (namely British Overseas Citizens and British Protected Persons). We will keep Parliament informed of progress on negotiations.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether reports produced by the International Tax and Investment Centre have been forwarded by (a) the UK's Ambassador to Iraq and  (b) his office to (i) Ministers in the Iraqi government and (ii) the Coalition Provisional Authority since March 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her Department's position is on the proposed extradition to Iran of the Iranian dissidents in Camp Ashraf, South East Baghdad; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates since March 2003  (a) the UK's Ambassador to Iraq and  (b) her officials have met International Tax and Investment Centre representatives; what subjects were discussed; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Israel

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the Government of Israel on its military incursions in Gaza; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Israel

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made to  (a) the Prime Minister of Israel and  (b) the Palestinian President on the military offensive in Gaza; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Lebanon

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 2046-47W, on Lebanon, what equipment requirements for the Lebanese armed forces have been identified; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Lebanon

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decisions have been taken following the discussions held in Paris, Rome, Brussels, Beirut, Washington and New York on security sector reform in Lebanon; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Maldives

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make representations to the Maldives authorities about the policing of peaceful protests; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

NAO Report

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, on receipt of the National Audit Office's report into the use by the Foreign Office of public funds in relation to the management of staff including the handling of grievance-type issues, she will  (a) publish the report on her Department's intranet site and  (b) forward a copy to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Palestinian Authorities

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her answer of 31 October 2006,  Official Report, column 379W, on the Palestinian Authorities, in what fora the United States security co-ordinator's plans to deliver tangible improvements in the day-to-day lives of Palestinians will be reported; what the plans involve; and when they are expected to be implemented.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will reply before the end of the session to questions  (a) 95746,  (b) 95747,  (c) 95777,  (d) 95748,  (e) 95749 and  (f) 95754, on Iraq, tabled by the hon. Member for Thurrock on 18 and 19 October; and what the reasons are for the delay in replying.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Rosneft

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the flotation of the Russian oil company Rosneft on the London Stock Exchange; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Salah Gosh

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what visa arrangements have been granted by the UK to Salah Gosh, head of the Sudanese National Intelligence Service, over the last 12 months; and on what dates he has been admitted to the UK.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Sanctions Regimes

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 6 November 2006, on sanctions regimes, why EU sanctions against Uzbekistan were omitted from the list.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Sudan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1530W, on Sudan, what progress has been made in the extension of the UN arms embargo to cover the whole of the Sudan; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Syria

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she expects to take as a result of her representative's recent visit to Syria; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

US Iraq Study Group

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government has been invited to make a submission to the US Iraq Study Group.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

US Iraq Study Group

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government has made a submission to the US Iraq Study Group Inquiry.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Correspondence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs why the Lord Chancellor did not reply substantively before 2 October to the letters from the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight dated 25 July and 25 August.

Harriet Harman: The Lord Chancellor received the letters and papers in this matter in September and replied to the hon. Member on 2 October. He said in that letter that officials would make further enquiries of the original Advisory Committee, about the investigation that it carried out.
	Complaints of personal misconduct against Magistrates are handled in the first instance by the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committees. Those committees carry out their own investigations and make recommendations to the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice where they conclude that some form of disciplinary sanction is required. The hon. Member for the Isle of Wight has raised questions about a particular case involving such a complaint which was raised by one of his constituents, where a substantive reply was not sent by the Lord Chancellor until 2 October 2006, despite reminders being sent in July and August.
	This complaint was originally considered by the local Advisory Committee in 2001, which found that there was insufficient evidence to pursue it further. The outcome was challenged by the hon. Member's constituent and has subsequently been reviewed by two other advisory committees, both of whom have identified a "lack of particularised evidence".
	The Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice clearly expect complaints to be resolved much more quickly than this, but they accept that, in some circumstances, the issues under consideration are complex or the evidence is so conflicting that it proves difficult for an advisory committee to resolve within normal time constraints.

Freedom of Information Act

Dai Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what  (a) criteria and  (b) methods were adopted in the selection of Frontier Economics to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; when the report of that work was published; and what assessment she has made of its (i) analysis and (ii) conclusions.

Vera Baird: Frontier Economics were selected from the HMRC Framework Agreement List for pre-approved consultancy services on the basis of their expertise in economic consultancy. They have a proven track record of producing high quality work for a number of Government Departments. Their report was published on 16 October 2006. At the same time the Government announced on the back of the report that they are minded to:
	(i) include reading time, consideration time and consultation time in the calculation of the appropriate limit (£600) above which requests could be refused on cost grounds; and
	(ii) aggregate requests made by a legal person, (or persons apparently acting in concert, to each public authority for the purpose of calculating the appropriate limit.
	The Government will take stock of the responses to this position before bringing forward secondary legislation.

Public Sector Information Holders

Mark Todd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what analysis she has commissioned of the comparative terms and conditions offered by public sector information holders to external licensees and public sector information holders applied to products and services and subsequently sold in equivalent markets; and what evidence she has provided to the Office of Fair Trading inquiry into this issue.

Vera Baird: The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) is responsible for licensing the re-use of Crown copyright information and certain categories of public sector information. We do this via our online Click-Use Licence system—http://www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/index.htm.
	Earlier this year, OPSI extended the Click-Use Licence beyond central Government to the wider public sector, including local government and the health service. This new PSI Click-Use Licence is a no charge online licence and will enable re-users to re-use a wide range of public sector information under the one licence.
	OPSI conduct reviews on the licence terms and conditions used by public sector information holders as a key part of the verification process under the Information Fair Trade Scheme. The reviews are conducted either annually or every two years depending on the level of information trading carried out by the organisation in question. OPSI has provided details of these initiatives to the Office of Fair Trading to inform the study on the commercial use of public information.
	Given the above initiatives and the analysis undertaken by the Office of Fair Trading, commissioning further analysis is unnecessary.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Athletics

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on the application of its rules as they affect British athletes; and what monitoring her Department undertakes of the appeals process adopted by the IAAF for cases of alleged drug taking.

Richard Caborn: UK Sport, the Government's agency for elite sport and its national anti-doping organisation, has recently discussed with the IAAF its decision to impose a standard one-year sanction for missed tests and to extend to five years the period over which the three missed tests are counted.
	UK Sport is responsible for monitoring the anti-doping rules, which includes the appeals process, adopted by sports' national governing bodies in the UK. However it is the World Anti-Doping Agency which is responsible, among other things, for monitoring the appeals process of the international federations, including the IAAF.

BBC

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what shares and assets the BBC holds in external companies.

Tessa Jowell: Note 13 to the financial statements of the BBC's Annual Report and Accounts provides details of the BBC's shares and assets in external companies. Copies of the report can be found in the Libraries of both houses.

BBC

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the value is of all BBC non core assets.

Tessa Jowell: I regret that it has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Consultants

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many consultants are employed in her Department.

David Lammy: There are currently eight consultants employed and working in the Department and one person who is on secondment from a consultancy firm. This excludes contractors working in the Department, e.g. those providing facilities management and other support services; and it excludes those providing ad hoc consultancy who are not based in the Department.

Departmental Staff

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in her Department are employed in  (a) the West Midlands region and  (b) Coventry.

David Lammy: In the Department for Culture, Media and Sport there are no staff employed in  (a) the West Midlands region and  (b) Coventry. However there are two DCMS staff on secondment to the Gambling Commission, who are based in Birmingham.

Film Production (Wearside)

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to market Wearside as a base for film production.

Shaun Woodward: The UK Film Council (UKFC), promotes the UK as a filming destination by providing information to international filmmakers about the range and diversity of locations in the UK.
	The UKFC has created nine regional screen agencies for England, each of which promotes their individual region as a film location both nationally and internationally.
	Northern Film and Media (NFM) is the regional screen agency for the North East which covers Wearside. NFM encourages both inward investment and indigenous production and promotes the use of locations, crews and facilities in the North East.

Gambling

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the report on problem gambling commissioned by her Department has cost.

Richard Caborn: The gambling prevalence study, being undertaken by the Gambling Commission, which will report back in September 2007, is estimated to cost £466,000 in 2006-07.

Licensing Act

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what factors the then Minister with responsibility for licensing took into account when she stated in July 2005 that the Licensing Act 2003 will be much better for live music.

Shaun Woodward: The Government have long considered that a number of measures contained in the Licensing Act 2003 will encourage more venues to obtain authorisations to stage live music. These include: the streamlined application process; the central setting of fees; the abolition of the renewals process; and the application of only necessary and proportionate licensing conditions.
	The Government also believe live music provision will benefit from the abolition of the "two in a bar rule" which, when coupled with the very high rate of some public entertainment licensing fees, had previously acted as a disincentive to more diverse forms of music.

Olympic Games

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of the potential cost of the London 2012 Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: I regret that it has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Olympic Games

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent meetings she and her ministerial colleagues have had with the  (a) Olympic Delivery Authority,  (b) London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games,  (c) Olympic Board,  (d) Greater London Assembly,  (e) National Olympic Committee,  (f) National Paralympic Committee,  (g) Olympic Programme Support Unit and  (h) International Olympic Committee.

Tessa Jowell: I regret that it has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Olympic Games

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the impact on sponsors of the Olympic games of introducing restrictions on food and soft drink advertising and sponsorship;
	(2)  what discussions have taken place with the International Olympic Committee on the introduction of restrictions on the advertising of food and soft drinks;
	(3)  what discussions she has had with Ofcom about the impact of restrictions on advertising of food and soft drinks on International Olympic sponsorship deals.

Tessa Jowell: The International Olympic Committee (IOC), through discussions with the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), is aware that Ofcom is consulting on proposals to tighten the rules on broadcast food promotion to children. This is, however, primarily a matter for LOCOG's partners. The IOC respects each country's legal infrastructure and advertising guidelines.
	LOCOG has discussed this issue with the Olympic Partners sponsors already signed up for the London 2012 games. The outcome of Ofcom's consultation is not yet known, but LOCOG is clear that all of their sponsors will work within the UK's regulatory framework.
	No specific assessment has been made of the impact of the proposed restrictions on the London 2012 games sponsors. LOCOG's early discussions with sponsors and potential sponsors indicate that there is enormous commercial interest in being involved in the London 2012 games. Olympic sponsors provide long-term financial and logistical support to the Olympic movement, which has depended on partnership with the business community to stage the Olympic games since it was founded.
	I have not discussed this matter with Ofcom.

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answers to questions 97618 and 97621, whom the Minister of Sport met on legacy use of the Olympic Stadium; when each meeting took place; whether the potential value of the stadium was discussed; whether  (a) the Olympic Board,  (b) the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and  (c) the Olympic Delivery Authority were informed of these discussions by her Department before they took place; whether the results were reported to these bodies; and what account was taken in discussions of the commitment to convert the stadium into an athletics facility.

Tessa Jowell: I regret that it has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Piers

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Heritage Lottery Fund can entertain applications for funding for privately owned piers.

David Lammy: The Heritage Lottery Fund considers every application made to it. Trustees of the fund have decided that, because of high levels of competition for its funds and the need to secure maximum public benefit from lottery funds, applications from private owners will be a low priority.

Projects (West Midlands)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which projects in the West Midlands region are under consideration by her Department.

David Lammy: A summary of the projects currently under consideration by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in the West Midlands region is as follows:
	The Government Art Collection is planning a display of works of art in the new Regional Government Office in Birmingham;
	Worcestershire county council has been provided with PFI credits of £33.4 million from DCMS for the Worcester Library and History Centre. The project is currently in the procurement stage with plans to appoint a preferred bidder in April 2008, and open in December 2010;
	Wolverhampton city council has been provided with PFI credits of £10.9 million from DCMS for the North East Leisure Centre. The new facilities will replace two older smaller swimming pools in the area. The project is currently at the signed stage, and construction is in progress, with plans to open in December 2006;
	The Memorials Grant Scheme returns to charities and faith groups the equivalent of the VAT incurred in building and maintaining public memorial structures. Departmental officials have met those responsible for the ongoing establishment of a National Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The eligibility of different elements of this project under the Memorials Grant Scheme has been agreed. A payment of £102,235.02 has already been made in respect of the VAT incurred on work already undertaken. Claims in respect of further eligible expenditure will, when received, be considered in line with the agreed eligibility; and
	The Coventry 2007 UK School Games.

Quality Assurance

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what contribution her Department plans to make to the research commissioned by her Department of the Ipsos-MORI quality assurance process.

Shaun Woodward: The Department has analysts who check the quality of the data analysis, the logic of the conclusions (insofar as they are based on that analysis) and the clarity of data presentation. We also have policy experts to review the accuracy and completeness of the surrounding narratives. This includes any interpretation which relies on an understanding of the Licensing Act, its regulations and guidance, licensing application processes, or live music licensing issues. Any comments or suggestions may be rejected either by our analysts or the contractor if they are not supported by the survey data and/or wider evidence from the field.

Quiz Channels

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what representations she has received from  (a) consumer associations and  (b) members of the public regarding the practices of television quiz channels which require premium-rate phone calls to enter;
	(2)  if she will commission an investigation into the practices of television quiz channels which require premium-rate phone calls to enter;
	(3)  if she will bring forward proposals to require television quiz channels which require premium-rate telephone calls to enter to broadcast the proportion of successful calls made.

Shaun Woodward: Members of the public have made a number of representations regarding the practices of television quiz channels.
	Responsibility for the regulation of these services rests with the independent regulators, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) and the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS).
	On 10 October 2006 ICSTIS announced a review of the Quiz TV sector, covering all services within the sector, as well as current safeguards.
	On 3 August the Gambling Commission consulted on the possible need for some Call TV Quiz Services to change how they are currently operated to ensure compliance with the new rules under the Gambling Act 2005 (which will come into force in September 2007). The consultation, which closed on 31 October, received a significant response. The Commission will be issuing its response in the new year.

Quiz Channels

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues about the regulation of television quiz channels which require premium-rate telephone calls to enter.

Shaun Woodward: None. Responsibility for the regulation of these services rests with the independent regulators, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) and the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS).

Television Licences

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether a person who owns a black and white television set and a digital set-top box needs to purchase a colour television licence.

Shaun Woodward: I regret that it has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

China

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions took place during his recent visit to China.

John Prescott: My hon. Friend may be aware that I held very productive discussions in Beijing with State Councillor Tang on a range of international, regional and bilateral issues. These included North Korea and the work of the China Task Force, which covers trade and investment, science and technology, education, sustainable development and the environment, culture and health issues.

Diplomatic Gifts

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 30 October 2006,  Official Report, column 82W, on diplomatic gifts, 
	(1)  on how many occasions in each of the last five years gifts have been given to overseas dignitaries at public cost;
	(2)  what the average cost was of gifts given to overseas dignatories at public cost in each of the last five years; what the costs were of  (a) the most expensive and  (b) the least expensive of any gifts given; and if he will make a statement.

John Prescott: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Slave Trade (Abolition)

Dawn Butler: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many meetings of the Advisory Group on the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade in the British Empire there have been; if he will publish the minutes of those meetings; and how many enquiries he has  (a) received and  (b) responded to on the work of the Group.

John Prescott: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Duchy Council

Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the appointments process is for the Duchy Council.

Hilary Armstrong: New Council members are identified using a brief prepared by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, in consultation with Council. Three or four candidates are shortlisted and interviewed by a panel of three Council members and one independent member.
	The successful candidate is recommended to the Chancellor for submission to Her Majesty the Queen for her approval.

Public Bodies

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what the cost of the  (a) Social Exclusion Task Force,  (b) Better Regulation Executive and  (c) Office of the Third Sector has been since its creation; and what its estimated cost is for 2006-07;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the progress made by the  (a) Social Exclusion Task Force and  (b) Better Regulation Executive; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  how many staff are employed by the  (a) Social Exclusion Taskforce and  (b) Better Regulation Executive, broken down by (i) sex, (ii) ethnicity, (iii) age and (iv) salary band;
	(4)  how many staff are employed by the Office of the Third Sector, broken down by salary band;
	(5)  what the cost of provision of mobile phones to special advisers in her Department has been in the last 12 months;
	(6)  how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by her Department in each year since 1997-98; and what the expected costs are for 2006-07;
	(7)  what the annual expenditure on vehicles by her Department was in each year since 1997-98; and what the planned expenditure is for 2006-07;
	(8)  how many visitors the Cabinet Office website received in each month of 2006; and how many updates were made to the website during each month;
	(9)  pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2006,  Official Report, column 110W, on departmental websites, what the forecast costs for maintaining websites within her responsibility are in the 2006-07 financial year;
	(10)  how much was spent on websites within her responsibility in each year since 1997-98;
	(11)  what the combined cost of marketing and advertising was for her Department in  (a) 2004-05 and  (b) 2006-07;
	(12)  how many projects have been undertaken by the Better Regulation Executive since it was established; how much each project cost; and what assessment she has made of such projects' impacts;
	(13)  how many projects have been undertaken by the Social Exclusion Taskforce since it was established; what assessment she has made of their impact; and if she will make a statement;
	(14)  what the cost of all projects undertaken by the Social Exclusion Taskforce has been since it was established;
	(15)  how many projects have been undertaken by the Office of the Third Sector since it was established; how much each project cost; what assessment she has made of their impact; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Armstrong: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Social Exclusion Unit

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why the Social Exclusion Unit has been disbanded.

Hilary Armstrong: The Social Exclusion Task Force (SETF) was set up at the centre of Government in July 2006 to carry forward the Government's cross cutting agenda on social exclusion following the appointment of a Cabinet-level Minister for Social Exclusion based at the Cabinet Office.
	In September 2006 the SETF published "Reaching Out: An Action Plan on Social Exclusion", which proposes a range of systematic reforms aimed at fundamentally changing the way we deliver help and support to the most socially excluded. It is guided by five principles:
	Better identification and earlier intervention
	Systematically identifying what works
	Promoting multi agency working
	Personalisation, rights and responsibilities and
	Supporting achievement and managing underperformance.
	The Action Plan aims to build on current progress and go further. It opens the next chapter in combating entrenched exclusion, by setting out a series of immediate actions and pilots built around a lifetime approach to tackling exclusion.
	The SETF will work closely with all departments to ensure that the needs and unique challenges of the most socially excluded are addressed.

Volunteering Scheme

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many individuals have used the gap year and volunteering scheme that she announced in her 2006 Budget; and how much the Government have contributed to the scheme.

Edward Miliband: The Government are committed to raising awareness amongst young people of the benefits of volunteering and to improving the infrastructure that supports volunteering. The Russell Commission Report on Youth Action and Engagement, published in March 2005, made sixteen recommendations for delivering a step change in the quantity, quality and diversity of youth volunteering opportunities, with a vision of one million more young volunteers within five years. The Government embraced these recommendations and allocated up to £100 million between now and March 2008 to kickstart implementation.
	In line with the Commission's key recommendation, the Government have established an independent charity, v, to work with existing third sector organisations to deliver and market these opportunities. So far over £11 million has been invested in v and 55,000 new volunteering opportunities have been commissioned which will be available over the next two years. v has also secured over £10 million in donations from the private sector.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many refugee camps there are in Helmand Province; and how many people are housed in them.

Hilary Benn: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his answer of 20 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1481-82W, on Afghanistan, whether an estimate has been made of the number of schools that have closed in Afghanistan due to violence since January 2006.

Hilary Benn: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the Memorandum of Understanding on the Three-Disease Fund in Burma was signed with the government of that country.

Gareth Thomas: A Memorandum of Understanding on the Three Diseases Fund was signed between the Burmese authorities and United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) on 12 October 2006. The Memorandum of Understanding will enable UNOPS to establish an office in Burma in order to carry out its role as the fund manager for the Three Diseases Fund. None of the donors to the fund is a signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding.

Climate Change

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he plans to take to take forward the recommendations of the Stern report on the economics of climate change which relate to the developing world; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Climate change has enormous implications for development and I welcome the Stern review There is an urgent need to take action both on mitigation and adaptation.
	DFID takes the issue of climate change very seriously, as set out in the new White Paper published earlier this year. Indeed, all the recommendations of the Stern review are relevant to developing countries. The action we take in developed countries to avoid climate change will relate directly to the future development and poverty in poor countries. DFID will i) help developing countries bring emissions down without compromising development and poverty reduction goals, ii) help protect themselves from the impact of a changing climate, and iii) push for strong international collective action to limit global carbon emissions.
	We will also encourage the development banks, other donors, non-governmental organisations and the UN system to be fully involved in tackling it.
	On mitigation, the review calls for more finance up to increase investment in clean technology in developing countries. DFID is providing assistance to the World Bank and the Regional Development Banks to develop a framework to increase public and private investment in low carbon energy in developing countries. Progress has been made on the Clean Energy Investment Framework since last year, but we need to maintain momentum.
	On adaptation, the review highlighted the need to take into account climate risks and implications in all development policy and planning. International support is also necessary to finance investment in global public goods for adaptation such as monitoring, forecasting and researching climate change. DFID is helping developing countries to build resilience and adapt:
	Improving climate data for development in Africa. DFID is working with donors and African institutions to support the Global Climate Observing System in line with G8 commitments. DFID will provide £5 million towards the expected total cost of £36 million.
	Developing climate risk assessment and management arrangements to help developing countries adapt across the board. DFID is working with the World Bank to get measures in place for screening development assistance by 2008. We will conduct pilot studies in six of our country programmes including Kenya and India. Work is underway in Bangladesh.
	Increasing climate change research, we have initiated a £30 million programme (in collaboration with the Canadian International Development Research Centre) to build and maintain the research capacity and knowledge of African researchers.
	Increasing spending on disaster risk reduction and mitigating the impact of climate change. DFID is committed to allocating 10 per cent. of the funding provided in response to each natural disaster to prepare for and mitigate the impact of future disasters where this can be done effectively.

Cuba

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of policies to promote sustainable development in Cuba.

Gareth Thomas: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental Efficiency Savings

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what efficiency savings have been made by his Department as a result of the Gershon efficiency agenda, broken down by  (a) activity and  (b) quarter; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Provisional efficiency savings to September 2006 totalled £186.6 million. By quarter, provisional efficiency gains achieved since April 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 June 2005 46.8 
			 September 2005 32 
			 December 2005 12.9 
			 March 2006 28.1 
			 June 2006 77.5 
			 September 2006 109.1 
		
	
	These figures are subject to change as confirmed outturn data are received.
	The breakdown of DFID's efficiency target of £420 million in 2007-08 is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Switching from project assistance to programmatic support 111 
			  
			 Savings on procurement 10 
			  
			 Improvement in the performance of DFID's projects and programmes 173 
			 Increased contributions to low income countries through EC aid 31 
			  
			 Increased support for the International Development Association of the World Bank 75 
			  
			 Administration costs efficiency 20 
		
	
	We are unable to provide a breakdown for all activities in each quarter, since some data are provisional, have not been validated, or are based on forecasts.
	Progress on our efficiency programme is reported to Parliament and the public twice yearly in our departmental report and autumn performance report. The last assessment was in the departmental report 2006, published in May. This is available on the DFID website (http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/departmental-report/2006/default.asp) and in the House of Commons Library. The next assessment will be in the 'Autumn Performance Report 2006' which will be published on 7 December 2006.

Departmental Efficiency Savings

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many full-time equivalent staff reductions have been made by his Department as a result of the Gershon efficiency agenda, broken down by  (a) activity and  (b) quarter; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID reduced its full-time equivalent UK-based staff by 164 posts between June 2005 and September 2006. 97.5 of these posts were in operational delivery, four were in policy, and 62.5 were in corporate services. Further reductions will take place between now and March 2008. Most of these reductions will be in our corporate services departments, allowing us to increase the proportion of staff devoted to operational delivery.
	By quarter, cumulative reductions have taken place since April 2005 as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 June 2005 24 
			 September 2005 78 
			 December 2005 79 
			 March 2006 106 
			 June 2006 139 
			 September 2006 164 
		
	
	DFID also reduced its staff appointed in country headcount from 1,162 to 914 by September 2005, meeting our target reduction of 124 posts.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

Hilary Benn: DFID does not hold specific records in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation, and could not obtain this information without disproportionate cost.
	DFID has policy responsibility for three non-departmental public bodies, but does not hold records of any hotel expenditure. DFID has no agencies. DFID uses consultants for a range of development tasks, but our policy is not to book their accommodation or maintain disaggregated records of their travel-related expenditure.
	All hotel claims are made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting and in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the financial year 2006-07 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.

Departmental Redundancies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many redundancies there were in the Department in each year since 1997; what the cost of such redundancies was in each year; how many temporary staff were employed in each year; and how many staff were seconded by outside organisations to posts within the Department in each year.

Gareth Thomas: Since 1997, DFID has had no compulsory redundancies, but there have been voluntary early departures. The numbers of staff taking voluntary early departure are set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of staff  Cost 
			 1997 26 926,268 
			 1998 6 494,903 
			 1999 9 620,471 
			 2000 3 422,910 
			 2001 9 562,967 
			 2002 10 581,708 
			 2003 24 1,639,414 
			 2004 13 1,257,039 
			 2005 11 1,039,270 
			 2006 24 2,408,021 
		
	
	In addition, 14 staff have been offered an opportunity to leave under an early departure scheme in 2007 at a cost of £1,381,375 and six staff will leave in 2008 at a cost of £694,050. DFID is currently considering whether to re-open this scheme.
	Information is not held centrally on the use of all temporary staff on an annual basis, and could be secured only at disproportionate cost.
	The number of staff seconded in to DFID were as follows:
	
		
			   Number of staff 
			 1997 — 
			 1998 — 
			 1999 — 
			 2000 — 
			 2001 4 
			 2002 10 
			 2003 41 
			 2004 109 
			 2005 151 
			 2006 121 
		
	
	The Department has no information prior to 2001 and those figures until 2004 are tentative as no central records were held over that period. As staff are normally seconded in for a two-year period, they appear in more than one year. DFID has participated in the central Government initiative on interchange, and seconds staff out to other organisations as well as taking inward secondments.

Development Aid

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of gross domestic product he expects UK official development aid to be in each year up to 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The UK has announced a timetable to reach the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of ODA as a proportion of gross national income by 2013. The 2004 comprehensive spending review set out the proposed trajectory to this by establishing 0.47 per cent. as the UK target for 2007-08 and stating the intention to continue the rate of increase to ensure that the ratio was 0.7 per cent. by 2013. Specific annual targets for 2008-09 to 2010-11 will be decided as part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review and published next year.

Indonesia

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in the aid effort in the Aceh region of Indonesia; and what measures are in place to ensure aid funds are applied to their objectives.

Gareth Thomas: The Aceh region and neighbouring island of Nias bore the brunt of the earthquake and tsunami of December 2005 in terms of the number of lives lost, communities destroyed and infrastructure damaged.
	All DFID emergency relief projects (£55 million was committed for Indonesia) have been successfully concluded. The evaluation of all relief projects is set out in the document "Report on DFID's response to the Indian Ocean Disaster", copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House and can also be found on the DFID website.
	DFID's approach has been to work through partners in support of high quality projects which target those most in need of assistance, fill key gaps and meet urgent needs.
	For longer term recovery needs in Aceh, DFID has allocated a total of £58 million, with expenditure of over £20 million so far. These funds are being channelled primarily through the following programmes:
	Over £5 million so far to the Multi-Donor Fund for Aceh and Nias (MDF). The MDF pools the resources of 15 donors in support of the Government of Indonesia's own plans and priorities for reconstruction. It has become a proven and effective partner in the recovery process, and we are planning to commit a further £33 million to MDF between 2006 and 2009. The MDF currently supports 16 projects which provide needed assistance to four under-funded sectors: the recovery of communities; infrastructure and transport; capacity building and governance; and sustainable management of the environment. MDF projects so far have included: building or repairing nearly 2,800 houses; the provision of a shipping service to enable reconstruction materials to be delivered to remote areas which are still not accessible by road; and the provision of design and management services for hundreds of millions of dollars worth of critical new infrastructure investments in underserved areas;
	£10 million for the livelihoods component of UNDP's Emergency Response and Transitional Recovery (ERTR) programme, which has provided cash for work for over 50,000 beneficiaries in the aftermath of the tsunami. The focus is now on building sustainable livelihoods. The programme has enabled over 50,000 beneficiaries to re-engage in income generation and many of these are now self-sufficient;
	£6 million to the World Bank's Support for Poor and Disadvantaged Areas (SPADA) programme, to provide support to strengthen governance, promote growth and improve service delivery in Aceh and Nias. This programme is just getting under way;
	DFID also supports a number of smaller initiatives which aim to improve transparency in the way reconstruction funds are managed, build the capacity of local governments and other agencies involved in the reconstruction effort, and activities to help consolidate peace in Aceh.
	Both the MDF and ERTR programmes have been reviewed positively in recent independent reviews as well as by DFID's own monitoring activities. Progress has been made, but there is still a long way to go. For example, the Government of Indonesia's Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency for Aceh and Nias (BRR) (http://www.e-aceh-nias.org) estimates that 120,000 units of new housing are required, and as of April 2006, 41,734 had been built.
	All DFID programmes in Indonesia and elsewhere have agreed objectives which are jointly monitored by DFID and our partners, which often include Government and other donors. These describe the outcomes which should be achieved as a result of DFID support, and to what degree the planned activities fit in to broader or higher-level strategies. Progress against objectives and objectively verifiable indicators is monitored through annual reviews and on project completion.

Iraq

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the  (a) number of and  (b) recent trends in the number of internally displaced people in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

Peru

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the likely environmental effect of Globeleq's power plant being built south of Lima.

Gareth Thomas: Globeleq is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Capital for Development (CDC) group plc. that deals with CDC's holdings in the power sector. CDC is, in turn, wholly-owned by DFID, but operates independently and reports to its own board of directors.
	In March 2004, the Secretary of State for International Development signed an agreement with the CDC board, laying down CDC's mission to invest in the poorer developing countries and how and where it should operate. This investment policy includes the 'business principles'. These require CDC to apply best practice in environmental, accounting, management, legal, health and safety and labour standards. DFID does not interfere or seek to direct or influence CDC's commercial decisions. Instead, DFID holds the board of CDC responsible for ensuring that the company invests responsibly and complies with the agreed investment policy.
	Reliable and well-managed power supplies are crucial to economic development and I welcome Globeleq's initiative to expand power-generation capacity in developing countries. I have been assured that Globeleq has carried out all the necessary environmental assessments for its new development in Peru and that the new 168 megawatt power-plant at Kallpa will comply with all relevant Peruvian national and local government regulations as well as meeting World Bank guidelines. The plant will use Peruvian natural gas, which affords the cleanest immediate solution to meeting the rising demand in Peru for reliable supplies of electricity.

Recruitment

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will introduce a scheme to recruit medical students for work on graduation in the developing world.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	Lord Crisp is undertaking a review for the Prime Minister, the Department of Health and the Department for International Development on how the United Kingdom's experience and expertise in delivering health services can be used to support the developing world. The report of the review is expected at the end of the year and will make recommendations on how we can maximise the safe and effective contribution of national health service staff.

Romania

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to improve  (a) the quality of care,  (b) access to education and  (c) other support for orphaned children in Romania.

Gareth Thomas: DFID's bilateral programme to Romania ended in March 2005. However, we continue to support Romania through the European Community Budget. The UK's share of the EC Budget is around 17 per cent.
	The EC has provided some €35 million over the last five years to improve public care for children. This has helped local authorities to make the transition from old style residential institutions to providing a range of child protection services, including foster care. Since 2004 the focus of the programme has shifted to promoting the social inclusion of the Roma population, in particular improving access to education.
	DFID provided some £1.8 million in bilateral aid between 2000 and 2005 in direct support of the EC's programme. This was through a project which aimed to help the Romanian National Authority for Child Protection and Adoption to develop an inspection, monitoring and evaluation system for child care services. This helped in particular with the closure of large-scale institutions.

Sierra Leone

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of  (a) average life expectancy in Sierra Leone and  (b) changes in life expectancy over the past five years.

Hilary Benn: It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time available before Prorogation.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received on the humanitarian situation in Jaffna, Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The UK is in regular contact with the Sri Lankan Government, the International Committee of the Red Cross and UN agencies about the humanitarian situation in Jaffna.
	The Jaffna peninsula has been cut off by the closure of the main road connecting Jaffna to the rest of Sri Lanka. There are now serious food shortages and escalating prices. The Government are trying to re-supply the area by sea, but few ships are prepared to make the journey: the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelan (LTTE) have threatened crews and the monsoon rains hamper deliveries. The 28-29 October peace talks in Geneva failed to make progress on reopening the main road to Jaffna.
	The situation remains fragile and the UK will continue to monitor developments closely. While there is clear hardship, limited access makes it impossible to obtain a comprehensive picture of the humanitarian situation for the over half a million population on Jaffna peninsula. The UK Government have expressed serious concern over the humanitarian situation and over the need for all parties to the conflict to ensure regular and sustained access for humanitarian deliveries.
	In September DFID contributed $1 million to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to help provide humanitarian assistance to some 200,000 people displaced by the recent upsurge of violence. The UK, EU and the wider international community have pressed the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE to guarantee free access for relief agencies to deliver humanitarian aid to all Sri Lankans affected by the fighting.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Turner: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals to make provision for questions unanswered at Prorogation to be carried over to and answered in the next session of Parliament.

Jack Straw: Prorogation marks the formal end of a parliamentary session. Following concerns from Members and the Public Administration Select Committee regarding the number of 'I will write' replies, new arrangements were introduced in September 2004(1) to reduce the number of these replies and to increase accessibility of answers. This included the introduction of a 'Prorogation' answer.
	I have no current plans to change these arrangements though I am always happy to receive representations about this. Members remain free to re-table any unanswered questions in the following Session.
	(1) Set out in written ministerial statement of 21 July 2004,  Official Report, columns 424-35WS.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Arrests

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many arrests have been made  (a) in Republican areas and  (b) in Loyalist areas for (i) racketeering, (ii) protection scams and (iii) other criminal activity over the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Arrest information is not held on the basis of an area's perceived political or religious affiliations but rather by PSNI DCU.
	The activities stated in the hon. Lady's question are not specific offences. Persons involved in such activities, when arrested are charged under the specific PACE (NI) Offence that they are suspected to have committed. It is not possible to distinguish the arrest details of those involved in organised crime from those arrested for other offences.

Carers

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his most recent estimate is of how many hours per week, on average, a carer in Northern Ireland spends providing care for their patient.

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary Session.

Carers

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of carers in Northern Ireland have been providing care for  (a) less than one year,  (b) one to three years,  (c) three to five years and  (d) more than five years.

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary Session.

Carers

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of carers in Northern Ireland have  (a) given up their jobs and  (b) reduced their working hours to provide care for their patients.

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary Session.

Carers

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of carers in Northern Ireland are  (a) male,  (b) female and  (c) aged (i) 18 to 30, (ii) 30 to 50, (iii) 50 to 65 and (iv) over 65 years.

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary Session.

Carers

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of carers in Northern Ireland are related to the patient for whom they care.

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary Session.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations the Minister for Children in Northern Ireland is making to the Comprehensive Spending Review process.

Maria Eagle: All Ministers are involved in the detailed work in relation to the 2007 comprehensive spending review.

Energy Efficiency

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to encourage electricity customers in Northern Ireland to use EcoEnergy; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Gentleman's question in this parliamentary Session. I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

Fireworks

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many charges of illegal sale of fireworks to children in Northern Ireland have been successful, broken down by district command unit in the last three years.

David Hanson: There are no convictions for the illegal sale of fireworks to children in Northern Ireland for the calendar years 2002 to 2004, the latest available years for which data are available. The Government will be undertaking a review of fireworks legislation in the months following Halloween and will engage with a number of agencies and stakeholders with the aim of adopting a holistic approach to addressing problems associated with fireworks whether purchased illegally or obtained by legal means.

Further Education Budgets

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change is from the previous year's budget of the budget allocated to each further education college in Northern Ireland; what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the budgets on students from the Republic of Ireland studying at such colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The FE Recurrent Block Grant allocation for the 2006-07 academic year saw an 8.24 per cent. reduction on that allocated in 2005-06, with only two of the 16 colleges receiving a budget increase. The biggest factor in this settlement has been the actual size of the recurrent block grant.
	
		
			  College  Allocation 2005-06  Allocation 2006-07  Change from 2005-06 to 2006-07 
			 Armagh 4,792,322 4,514,208 -278,114 
			 BIFHE 28,539,226 28,398,387 -140,839 
			 Castlereagh 4,473,533 4,126,069 -347,464 
			 Causeway 5,862,782 4,841,083 -1,021,699 
			 East Antrim 6,141,437 6,293,496 152,059 
			 East Down 5,368,412 5,342,677 -25,735 
			 East Tyrone 5,101,450 4,867,607 -233,843 
			 Fermanagh 6,034,885 4,001,846 -2,0337039 
			 Limavady 5,184,424 3,745,135 -1,439,289 
			 Lisburn 5,107,183 5,128,412 21,229 
			 Newry 10,213,551 8,325,580 -1,887,971 
			 North Down 11,624,550 10,885,234 -739,316 
			 North East 8,587,205 8,525,690 -61,515 
			 North West 15,559,558 13,350,701 -2,208,857 
			 Omagh 4,471,469 4,077,321 -394,148 
			 Upper Bann 7,638,014 7,176,555 -461,459 
			 Total 134,700,000 123,600,000 -11,100,000 
		
	
	The issue of residency for FE students coming from the Republic of Ireland is legally complex, and officials from both jurisdictions are considering how best it might be resolved. Pending clarification of the legal position, the Department for Employment and Learning announced on 25 August 2006 that that it had agreed with the Irish Departments of Education and Science, and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, an interim arrangement outside of the Recurrent Block Grant, to facilitate the continued enrolment of Republic of Ireland students in Northern Ireland FE Colleges. The interim fund put in place for 2006-07 ensures that there should be no impact for individual students from the Republic of Ireland studying in FE Colleges in Northern Ireland as a result of the budget adjustments.

Hospital Chaplains

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2006,  Official Report, column 655W, on hospital chaplains, which religious umbrella groups other than the Northern Ireland Interfaith Forum were consulted; and if he will consult the Caleb Foundation.

Paul Goggins: My Department also consulted with The Clerk of the General Assembly and General Secretary of The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, The Secretary of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Ireland, The Primate of the Church of Ireland, The Roman Catholic Church and the Northern Ireland Hospital Chaplains Association. As the Framework was issued in December 2004 I have no plans to enter into a further consultation process at this stage.

Hospital Chaplains

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2006,  Official Report, column 655W, on hospital chaplains, how  (a) the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster,  (b) the Elim Pentecostal Church in Ireland,  (c) the Congregational Union of Ireland,  (d) the Evangelical Presbyterian Church,  (e) the Reformed Presbyterian Church,  (f) the Fellowship of Independent Methodist Churches and  (g) the Church of the Nazarene were consulted; and what response each gave concerning the effect on them.

Paul Goggins: None of the groups listed at  (a) to  (g) were consulted.

Hospital Chaplains

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2006,  Official Report, column 655W, on hospital chaplains, what measures have been taken to ensure that the best practice framework issued by the Government complies with equality legislation.

Paul Goggins: The best practice framework is a product of a Multi-Faith Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy who worked with the NHS and The Department of Health in compiling this guidance. No theological or doctrinal definitions are made in this document. Its purpose is to enable the HPSS to provide flexible and innovative responses in chaplaincy for all patients, their carers and staff according to the faith or spiritual tradition to which they belong, or those who profess no particular faith. This is in keeping with the provisions of Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act.

Members of Parliament

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will recommend to the Leader of the House that he impose the same financial penalties on any hon. Members from Northern Ireland constituencies who do not take their seats as will be imposed upon members of the Northern Ireland Assembly with effect from 25 November.

Peter Hain: If the Northern Ireland parties do not endorse the St Andrews Agreement, the provisions of the Northern Ireland Act 2006, which provide for dissolution of the Assembly and the indefinite postponement of Assembly elections, will apply. In these circumstances it would not be appropriate to continue to pay Assembly members salaries and allowances.

Motoring Offences

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average sentence handed down by courts in Northern Ireland was for people convicted of motoring offences that resulted in a fatality in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The table provides the average sentence length in months for those convicted for motoring offences causing death and covers the years 2000 to 2004, the latter being the most recent available. Data are collated on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Average sentence length for those convicted for motoring offences causing death 2000-04( 1) 
			   Average sentence length in months  Number sentenced to immediate custody 
			 2000 52.0 6 
			 2001 37.3 9 
			 2002 42.0 6 
			 2003 39.6 14 
			 2004 34.2 10 
			 (1 )Data for 2004 are provisional.

Post Office Card Account

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Government have considered allowing the Social Security Agency and benefit recipients to retain Post Office Card Accounts as a regional facility.

Peter Hain: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Gentleman's question in this parliamentary Session.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average time was between first consultation and diagnosis for those with rheumatoid arthritis in each health and social services board area in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary Session.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) males,  (b) females,  (c) adults and (d) children in Northern Ireland have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Paul Goggins: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary Session.

Saville Inquiry

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his latest estimate is of the cost to public funds of the legal costs of the Saville Inquiry, broken down by individual barrister and firm of solicitors for  (a) the soldiers and  (b) the families of the civilians who died.

David Hanson: Due to the complexities involved in compiling the information necessary to answer this question, it has not been possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary Session. I will write to the hon. Member.

St. Andrews Agreement

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in talks with political parties in Northern Ireland on restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Peter Hain: The Government are continuing to work closely with the Northern Ireland political parties and with the Irish Government towards restoration. The St Andrews Agreement opens the way to a new dawn for democracy in Northern Ireland based on the twin foundations of the rule of law and power sharing. The Government firmly believe the circumstances are right now to see a permanent political settlement in Northern Ireland, with the restoration and the full and effective operation of the political institutions.
	Much progress was made at St Andrews. I look to the Northern Ireland parties to endorse the agreement by 10 November. There is a heavy responsibility on all the parties to move forward. The Government have set down a process and timetable which we believe offers the best opportunity for restoration of the devolved institutions.

PRIME MINISTER

Gifts

Tim Loughton: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2006,  Official Report, column 2030W, on gifts, if he will list the gifts  (a) given to and  (b) received from overseas dignatories under the value of £140 in each of the last three years; and what the average value of such gifts was in each category.

Tony Blair: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

TREASURY

Airport Security

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many passengers passing through Heathrow have been  (a) strip searched and  (b) x-rayed by HM Revenue and Customs officials in each month of the last two years, broken down by (i) nationality and (ii) ethnicity; and in how many cases this has led to prosecution for drug-related offences.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of searches of persons carried out nationally by HM Revenue and Customs is contained in the Annual Reports for HM Customs and Excise and HM Revenue and Customs. The figures for the year ending 31 March 2006 will be published in the next Annual Report.
	Information about searches by location cannot be disclosed as this would provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent HMRCs' controls thereby prejudicing the prevention and detection of crime.

Asset Sales

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his financial statement of 22 March 2006,  Official Report, column 300, what progress has been made with the sale of  (a) Westinghouse,  (b) the Tote and  (c) part of British Energy.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 31 October 2006
	I have been asked to reply.
	It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Child Benefit

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many workers from the new member states of the EU are claiming child benefit in respect of families still living in their home countries.

Gary Streeter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of applications for child benefit awarded to A8 nationals between May 2004 and June 2006 were for children who did not live in the UK.

Dawn Primarolo: I very much regret that it has not been possible to answer my right hon. Friend's and the hon. Gentleman's questions in the time available before Prorogation.

Child Poverty

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures his Department has taken to reduce child poverty in Clwyd, South since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The Treasury has, in partnership with other Government Departments, tackled poverty and promoted economic opportunity through:
	Promoting macro-economic stability;
	Supporting work for those who can and ensuring that work pays, through the new deals, a national minimum wage and the working tax credit; and
	Providing financial support for groups at particular risk of poverty, such as child benefit and the child tax for families, and the pension credit for pensioners.
	Across the UK, these measures have helped lift more than a million people out of poverty since 1997. Tax credits are benefiting more than 242,600 families in Wales, and in Clwyd, South, claimant unemployment has fallen by 48 per cent., youth unemployment has fallen by 68 per cent. and long-term unemployment has fallen by 82 per cent.

Creativity and Innovation Centres

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer where creativity and innovation centres have been established since their announcement in his 2005 Pre-Budget Report.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	The Cox Report, published in November 2005, made a number of recommendations to enable UK manufacturing companies to make greater use of UK expertise in design and creativity. All of the recommendations are being taking forward including the proposal to set up a network of 'Creativity and Innovation' centres throughout the UK with a central hub in London. The London Development Agency completed a scoping study in July and are now conducting a feasibility study into the location of the London Hub and functions of the regional spokes, which should be completed by early January.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1060W, on departmental expenditure, how much was spent on travel cost by staff of  (a) HM Treasury and  (b) its agencies in (i) the UK and (ii) abroad in each year since 2001-02.

John Healey: I very much regret that it has not been possible to answer the hon. Gentleman's question in the time available before Prorogation.

Employer Training Programme

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) employees and  (b) companies participated in the National Employer Training Programme in 2005; and how many have participated in 2006.

Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
	The Employer Training Pilots ran up until the end of March 2006. Over the three years they operated they were very successful in engaging employers and employees in training up to a first full Level 2.
	At the end of March 2006, the pilots had signed up 29,141 employers and 256,689 learners of which 136,851 had successfully completed their learning.
	Employer and employee satisfaction levels were over 90 per cent.
	From April 2006 Train to Gain started rolling out across England starting in the original Employer Training Pilot Areas.
	Latest information shows that
	4,689 employers have learners who started on LSC-funded qualifications since April 2006.
	There are over 50,000 learner starts on Level 2 and Basic Skills qualifications for the year to date.

e-Trading

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who earned a second income from e-trading in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

e-Trading

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many e-traders were successfully prosecuted for VAT evasion by HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five tax years.

Dawn Primarolo: Information held by HMRC does not currently allow the identification of 'e-trade' VAT evasion prosecutions.

e-Trading

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the number of e-traders who have failed to register for VAT; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: No estimate has been made.

Household Poverty

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) children,  (b) disabled children and  (c) children from single parent families were living in poverty in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997.

Jim Murphy: I have been asked to reply.
	Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is available in "Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2004/05". The threshold of below 60 per cent. contemporary median income is the most commonly used in reporting trends in low income.
	Information is not available below the level of Government office region. The available information is in the tables.
	
		
			  Number of children living in low income households: 1996-97 to 2004-05 
			  Million 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			   Great Britain  North East  Great Britain  North East 
			 1996-97 3.17 0.18 4.23 0.22 
			 1997-98 3.13 0.18 4.11 0.22 
			 1998-99 3.10 0.18 4.13 0.22 
			 1999-2000 2.97 0.18 4.06 0.22 
			 2000-01 2.67 0.18 3.84 0.22 
			 2001-02 2.62 0.15 3.73 0.19 
			 2002-03 2.61 0.16 3.56 0.19 
			 2003-04 2.57 0.15 3.48 0.17 
			 2004-05 2.44 0.15 3.42 0.17 
			  Notes: 1. Numbers, for the North East region, are presented using a three-year moving average, as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year-on-year changes. Hence, figures are not consistent with any previously published single-year estimates and there may be differences in changes over time. In circumstances such as a change in trend, moving averages will show less variation than single-year estimates. 2. The table shows number of children in millions—rounded to the nearest 10,000. 3. In this answer low income is determined for children as living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of the GB median.  Source: Family Resources Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of disabled children living in low income households: 1996-97 to 2004-05 
			  Million 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			   Great Britain  North East  Great Britain  North East 
			 1996-97 0.38 n/a 0.54 n/a 
			 1997-98 0.52 0.04 0.63 0.04 
			 1998-99 0.47 0.03 0.60 0.04 
			 1999-2000 0.41 0.03 0.54 0.04 
			 2000-01 0.38 0.03 0.52 0.04 
			 2001-02 0.31 0.03 0.44 0.03 
			 2002-03 0.34 0.02 0.42 0.03 
			 2003-04 0.29 0.02 0.40 0.02 
			 2004-05 0.32 0.02 0.40 0.02 
			  Notes: 1. Numbers, for the North East region, are presented using a three-year moving average, as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year-on-year changes. Hence, figures are not consistent with any previously published single-year estimates and there may be differences in changes over time. In circumstances such as a change in trend, moving averages will show less variation than single-year estimates. Information is not included for the first period for the North East as the disability marker was not used in the 1994-95 Family Resources Survey—thus no three-year average is calculated. 2. The table shows number of children in millions—rounded to the nearest 10,000. 3. In this answer low income is determined for children as living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of the GB median.  Source: Family Resources Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of children in lone parent families living in low income households: 1996-97 to 2004-05 
			  Million 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			   Great Britain  North East  Great Britain  North East 
			 1996-97 1.09 0.06 1.74 0.09 
			 1997-98 1.15 0.07 1.74 0.09 
			 1998-99 1.14 0.07 1.76 0.10 
			 1999-2000 1.17 0.08 1.83 0.10 
			 2000-01 1.04 0.07 1.70 0.10 
			 2001-02 1.00 0.07 1.68 0.09 
			 2002-03 1.03 0.07 1.60 0.09 
			 2003-04 0.97 0.07 1.46 0.09 
			 2004-05 0.94 0.06 1.48 0.08 
			  Notes: 1. Numbers, for the North East region, are presented using a three-year moving average, as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year-on-year changes. Hence, figures are not consistent with any previously published single-year estimates and there may be differences in changes over time. In circumstances such as a change in trend, moving averages will show less variation than single-year estimates. 2. The table shows number of children in millions—rounded to the nearest 10,000. 3. In this answer low income is determined for children as living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of the GB median.  Source: Family Resources Survey

Life Expectancy

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average life expectancy is in each ward in  (a) Redbridge and  (b) Waltham Forest; and what the average life expectancy was in (i) 1996 and (ii) 2001.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 November 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the average life expectancy is in each ward in (a) Redbridge and (b) Waltham Forest; and what the average life expectancy was in (i) 1996 and (ii) 2001. (100441)
	The attached tables provide the period life expectancy at birth, for men and women separately, in each ward in (a) Redbridge and (b) Waltham Forest in 1999-2003 combined (the only period available).
	These figures are experimental statistics—that is, statistics which are in a testing or consultation phase and are not fully developed—and should therefore be treated with caution.
	
		
			  Table 1: Period life expectancy at birth( 1, ) wards in the London boroughs of Redbridge and Waltham Forest( 2) , males, 1999 to 2003( 3) 
			  Years of life 
			  Ward  Life expectancy  95 per cent. confidence interval( 4)  Communal establishment indicator( 5) 
			  Redbridge
			 Aldborough 76.3 74.8 - 77.9 3 
			 Barkingside 78.8 77.3 - 80.3 0 
			 Bridge 75.9 74.3 - 77.4 0 
			 Chadwell 77.1 75.6 - 78.7 3 
			 Church End 77.2 75.5 - 78.9 1 
			 Clayhall 80.0 78.4 - 81.7 0 
			 Clementswood 76.4 74.6 - 78.1 2 
			 Cranbrook 77.6 76.0 - 79.2 3 
			 Fairlop 77.7 76.1 - 79.3 0 
			 Fullwell 77.7 76.2 - 79.2 2 
			 Goodmayes 76.8 75.0 - 78.6 1 
			 Hainault 75.0 73.3 - 76.7 2 
			 Loxford 73.7 72.1 - 75.3 5 
			 Mayfield 76.5 74.9 - 78.1 1 
			 Monkhams 78.2 76.0 - 80.4 2 
			 Newbury 79.1 77.5 - 80.6 0 
			 Roding 76.2 74.6 - 77.7 0 
			 Seven Kings 74.5 72.9 - 76.1 4 
			 Snaresbrook 75.1 73.3 - 76.9 3 
			 Valentines 74.3 72.6 - 76.1 3 
			 Wanstead 77.3 75.8 - 78.7 2 
			 
			  Waltham Forest
			 Cann Hall 73.5 71.9 - 75.2 0 
			 Cathall 73.0 71.3 - 74.8 0 
			 Chapel End 75.7 73.9 - 77.6 0 
			 Chingford Green 76.3 74.7 - 78.0 2 
			 Endlebury 77.0 75.4 - 78.6 2 
			 Forest 74.6 72.7 - 76.4 2 
			 Grove Green 77.3 75.6 - 79.1 1 
			 Hale End and Highams Park 76.6 74.9 - 78.3 1 
			 Hatch Lane 75.5 73.6 - 77.4 1 
			 High Street 73.5 71.8 - 75.2 0 
			 Higham Hill 72.4 70.5 - 74.4 1 
			 Hoe Street 72.5 70.9 - 74.2 3 
			 Larkswood 75.5 73.7 - 77.2 3 
			 Lea Bridge 71.6 69.9 - 73.3 2 
			 Leyton 73.2 71.6 - 74.9 3 
			 Leytonstone 73.8 72.0 - 75.6 5 
			 Markhouse 73.7 71.9 - 75.5 2 
			 Valley 76.4 74.8 - 77.9 1 
			 William Morris 72.4 70.5 - 74.2 3 
			 Wood Street 74.7 73.0 - 76.3 3 
			 (1) Period life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a newborn baby would survive if he or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life.  The figure reflects mortality among those living in the area in each time period, rather than mortality among those born in each area. It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area in each time period could actually expect to live, both because the death rates of the area are likely to change in the future and because many of those born in the area will live elsewhere for at least some part of their lives.  (2) Using boundaries as of 2005 and population estimates based on the 2001 Census for all the years shown. (3) Five year averages, based on deaths registered in each year, and experimental ward population estimates based on the 2001 Census. (4) Confidence intervals are a measure of the statistical precision of an estimate and show the range of uncertainty around the estimated figure. Calculations based on small numbers of events are often subject to random fluctuations. As a general rule, if the confidence interval around one figure overlaps with the interval around another, we cannot say with certainty that there is more than a chance difference between the two figures. (5) The presence of medical and care communal establishments, such as nursing homes and hospices, can artificially depress the average life expectancy of the ward in which they are located. To aid interpretation of the figures, this indicator shows the proportion of the male population of each ward, aged 65 and over, who were resident in such establishments in 2001. For this purpose, all wards in England and Wales (not only the wards in these boroughs) were divided into six groups which are numbered from 0 to 5. '0' means that none of the over-65 population lived in medical and care communal establishments. '1' means that the proportion of the over-65 population in such establishments was in the lowest fifth of all wards. '5' means that the proportion of the over-65 population in such establishments was in the highest fifth of all wards. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Period life expectancy at birth( 1, ) wards in the London boroughs of Redbridge and Waltham Forest( 2 ) females, 1999 to 2003( 3) 
			  Years of life 
			  Ward  Life expectancy  95 per cent. confidence interval( 4)  Communal establishment indicator( 5) 
			  Redbridge
			 Aldborough 79.8 78.2 - 81.3 3 
			 Barkingside 84.6 82.9 - 86.2 0 
			 Bridge 82.5 80.8 - 84.2 0 
			 Chadwell 80.9 79.3 - 82.5 4 
			 Church End 83.3 81.9 - 84.8 2 
			 Clayhall 83.3 82.1 - 84.5 0 
			 Clementswood 78.8 77.1 - 80.6 1 
			 Cranbrook 81.6 80.2 - 83.1 4 
			 Fairlop 82.5 81.1 - 83.8 0 
			 Fullwell 83.1 81.8 - 84.4 1 
			 Goodmayes 80.8 79.1 - 82.5 1 
			 Hainault 79.4 77.5 - 81.2 1 
			 Loxford 78.3 76.8 - 79.8 5 
			 Mayfield 81.5 80.0 - 83.1 2 
			 Monkhams 82.0 80.7 - 83.4 3 
			 Newbury 82.0 80.2 - 83.8 0 
			 Roding 81.3 79.7 - 82.9 0 
			 Seven Kings 79.5 78.0 - 82.0 3 
			 Snaresbrook 81.8 80.4 - 83.2 3 
			 Valentines 79.3 77.6 - 81.0 3 
			 Wanstead 82.0 80.5 - 83.5 2 
			 
			  Waltham Forest
			 Cann Hall 78.1 76.3 - 79.9 1 
			 Cathall 76.4 74.7 - 78.2 1 
			 Chapel End 79.5 77.6 - 81.3 0 
			 Chingford Green 80.1 78.4 - 81.7 3 
			 Endlebury 82.3 80.7 - 83.9 1 
			 Forest 79.2 77.5 - 81.0 1 
			 Grove Green 79.4 77.4 - 81.4 0 
			 Hale End and Highams Park 80.0 78.5 - 81.5 2 
			 Hatch Lane 79.6 78.1 - 81.1 2 
			 High Street 80.3 78.6 - 82.0 1 
			 Higham Hill 78.0 76.3 - 79.7 1 
			 Hoe Street 79.4 77.8 - 81.0 3 
			 Larkswood 80.2 78.7 - 81.6 4 
			 Lea Bridge 78.4 76.8 - 80.1 2 
			 Leyton 77.4 75.7 - 79.0 2 
			 Leytonstone 78.2 76.5 - 79.8 5 
			 Markhouse 77.7 75.8 - 79.5 1 
			 Valley 78.3 76.5 - 80.0 2 
			 William Morris 79.1 77.6 - 80.7 2 
			 Wood Street 80.5 79.0 - 82.0 2 
			 (1) Period life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a newborn baby would survive if he or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. The figure reflects mortality among those living in the area in each time period, rather than mortality among those born in each area.  It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area in each time period could actually expect to live, both because the death rates of the area are likely to change in the future and because many of those born in the area will live elsewhere for at least some part of their lives. (2) Using boundaries as of 2005 and population estimates based on the 2001 Census for all the years shown. (3) Five year averages, based on deaths registered in each year, and experimental ward population estimates based on the 2001 Census. (4) Confidence intervals are a measure of the statistical precision of an estimate and show the range of uncertainty around the estimated figure. Calculations based on small numbers of events are often subject to random fluctuations. As a general rule, if the confidence interval around one figure overlaps with the interval around another, we cannot say with certainty that there is more than a chance difference between the two figures. (5) The presence of medical and care communal establishments, such as nursing homes and hospices, can artificially depress the average life expectancy of the ward in which they are located. To aid interpretation of the figures, this indicator shows the proportion of the female population of each ward, aged 65 and over, who were resident in such establishments in 2001. For this purpose, all wards in England and Wales (not only the wards in these boroughs) were divided into six groups which are numbered from 0 to 5. '0' means that none of the over-65 population lived in medical and care communal establishments. '1' means that the proportion of the over-65 population in such establishments was in the lowest fifth of all wards. '5' means that the proportion of the over-65 population in such establishments was in the highest fifth of all wards.

National Income

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what share of national income went to  (a) wages and  (b) salaries in each year since 1992.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 November 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the share of national income going to a) wages and b) salaries for each year since 1992. (100387)
	We are unable to provide levels split between wages and salaries. The following table shows wages and salaries as a percentage of gross national income.
	
		
			   Gross national income( 1)  (£ million)  Wages and salaries( 2)  (£ million)  Wages and Salaries as percentage of gross national income( 3)  (Percentage) 
			 1992 607849 302841 50 
			 1993 637955 310548 49 
			 1994 681263 321680 47 
			 1995 716986 336290 47 
			 1996 762853 351322 46 
			 1997 811797 374510 46 
			 1998 869706 406548 47 
			 1999 904737 431795 48 
			 2000 954004 462505 49 
			 2001 1005313 491044 49 
			 2002 1069839 508681 48 
			 2003 1132938 527689 47 
			 2004 1202075 550654 46 
			 2005 1253429 576703 46 
			 (1) Gross national income represents the total income of UK residents. It can be derived from GDP by adding net employment income and net property income from the rest of the world. (2) Wages and salaries cannot be split into the two constituent parts, as data sources from tax records and from business surveys only provide the aggregate total wages and salaries data. (3) This has been rounded to one decimal place. 
		
	
	These estimates are expressed in nominal terms that are not adjusted for the effects of general price inflation.
	Further data on the component of gross national income are available from table 1.1 in the
	'United Kingdom National Accounts—The Blue Book 2006' which is available at the following address:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=1143&Pos=1&ColRank=1&Rank=272

National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre between 1999 and 2005.

Liam Byrne: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ million 
			 2006-07 9.965 
			 2005-06 9.324 
			 2004-05 6.197 
			 2003-04 5.171 
			 2002-03 4.149 
			 2001-02 2.349 
			 2000-01 circa 1.8 
			 1999-2000(1) 1 
			 (1 )Not a full financial year.

National Insurance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the balance is of the National Insurance Reserve Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to paragraph 4 of the Report of the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2006 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Funds Payments) Order 2006.

Personal Debt

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average  (a) unsecured debt per person and  (b) annual income was in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 November 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions on what the average unsecured debt per person and average annual income was in each year since 1997. (100365)
	The available information is shown in the table below.
	
		
			   Unsecured personal debt( 1 ) (end year) (£ million)  Average unsecured personal debt( 2 ) (end year) (£)  Average household disposable income( 3 ) (£) 
			 1997 88,412 1,943 12,307 
			 1998 97,404 2,133 12,763 
			 1999 109,208 2,381 13,279 
			 2000 124,323 2,696 13,955 
			 2001 140,891 3,036 14,787 
			 2002 157,748 3,378 15,182 
			 2003 163,506 3,479 15,755 
			 2004 183,390 3,875 16,180 
			 2005 192,905 4,042 16,781 
			  Notes: When using Table 64 of United Kingdom Economic Accounts (weblink given below) the database identifiers are: (1 )Unsecured personal debt = NNRG + NNRK (2 )Average unsecured personal debt = (NNRG+NNRK)/MGSL (3 )Average household disposable income = QWND/MGSL 
		
	
	We have calculated average unsecured debt as debt per head and average annual income as household disposable income per head. The population figure used to derive this is the population aged 16+ in the United Kingdom. These estimates are expressed in nominal terms that are not adjusted for the effects of general price inflation.
	The estimates for total personal debt, secured personal debt and unsecured debt (households' total financial liabilities other than secured debt), are national accounts series for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. Estimates for households alone are not available.
	NPISHs are legal entities which are principally engaged in the production of non-market services for households and whose main resources are voluntary contributions by households. For example, charities; relief and aid organisations; educational establishments; trade unions; professional associations, political parties and religious organisations, and sports clubs and associations.
	Further data are available from table A64 in United Kingdom Economic Accounts, which is available at the following address:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=1904&Pos=&ColRank=l&Rank=422

Public Sector Departments Review (Sir Michael Lyons)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what remuneration Sir Michael Lyons received for chairing the review of the location of public sector departments.

Stephen Timms: Sir Michael Lyons received remuneration of £40,000 excluding VAT, and expenses of £6,000, for conducting an 11-month inquiry into public sector relocation, meeting with key stakeholders, participating in public consultation, negotiating with Government Departments and providing strategic direction and oversight of the review.

State Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the case for using the cash flow gain to Exchequer arising from the abolition of the option to contract out of the state second pension into a defined contribution scheme from 2012  (a) to repay national debt in order to offset the increased state second pension liabilities that this change will generate,  (b) to provide assistance to help small employers meet the cost of mandatory employer contributions to personal accounts,  (c) to finance measures aimed at reducing the likelihood that employers will level down their pension provision when automatic enrolment increases participation in their schemes and  (d) to meet the cost of tax relief on contributions to personal accounts.

Edward Balls: No such assessment has been made.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will publish the monthly HM Revenue and Customs management account information on tax credit call centre performance for each month from April 2005 to September 2006; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will publish the monthly HM Revenue and Customs management account information on overpaid tax credits and benefits debt balances in each month since April 2005;
	(3)  if he will publish the HM Revenue and Customs management account information on disputed overpayment of tax credits for each month from April 2005 to October 2006; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  if he will publish the HM Revenue and Customs management account information on complaints on hand in relation to tax credits for each month since April 2005;
	(5)  how many tax credit renewals were outstanding in each month since April 2005;
	(6)  if he will publish the  (a) HM Revenue and Customs narrative updates on the design and implementation of tax credit 2.T. and  (b) design work to improve and develop tax credits for each month since April 2005;
	(7)  how many tax credit compliance team staff there were in each year since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement;
	(8)  what estimate he has made of the number of individuals involved in large-scale attempts to defraud the tax credits system;
	(9)  how many tax credit applications have been referred by HM Revenue and Customs for criminal proceedings so far in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement;
	(10)  what his estimate is of the three largest frauds perpetrated in the tax credits system, by value, from 2003 onwards; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: 772 of the 782 written questions tabled by the hon. Gentleman to the Treasury in the present Session have been answered. It has not been possible to answer the 10 questions listed in the time available before Prorogation.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan/Iraq

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from where the extra helicopters for the deployment for Afghanistan will be sourced; and what impact this will have on operations in other places.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the statements I made on 10 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1131-35, and 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 74-76WS. The additional CH47—Chinooks were drawn from the UK and from the Falkland Islands.

Afghanistan/Iraq

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the scale of the military threat posed by Taliban fighters.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1377W, to the hon. Member for the Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper).

Afghanistan/Iraq

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence he has of the involvement of non-Afghan nationals in the insurgency in Afghanistan.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 November 2006,  Official Report, column 423W to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey).

Afghanistan/Iraq

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on the families of British armed forces serving in Afghanistan of the broadcast by the BBC on 25 October of an interview by Taliban leadership; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: We have made no formal assessment of the effect of this broadcast. However, supporting the families of armed forces personnel is a top priority for this Department and as part of our comprehensive package of support we provide internal fora for Service families to express their views. It is clear from these that several families shared my deep disappointment at the BBC's decision to broadcast this interview and saw this as undermining the position of our forces.

Afghanistan/Iraq

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many attacks there were on British troops in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq in each of the last three years; what the date was of each incident; what type of incident each was; what weapons were used in each; and how many insurgents were involved in each incident.

Adam Ingram: There have been some 340 military contacts between UK forces and the enemy in Helmand province between 1 April 2006 and 31 October 2006. Data prior to this date and data on military contacts against UK forces outside of Helmand province are not held centrally.
	There have been some 3,200 military contacts between UK forces and enemy forces in Iraq between 1 November 2003 and 31 October 2006 in MND(SE). This figure excludes military contacts against UK forces outside of MND(SE), over this period, as these data are not held centrally.
	Information has not been provided by type or date of each incident or the types of weapons used as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the security of our armed forces. Further, due to the nature of these incidents, it is not possible to state exactly how many insurgents may have been involved in each contact.

Afghanistan/Iraq

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received on the countries of origin of the shaped charges being used against United Kingdom vehicles in Iraq.

Des Browne: The nature of some explosive devices being used, against British troops and elsewhere in Iraq, suggest the involvement of Iranian elements, including through Lebanese Hezbollah.

Afghanistan/Iraq

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total weight of depleted uranium used in munitions expended in Iraq  (a) was in the Gulf War of 1991 and  (b) has been since March 2003.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 7 November 2006
	Less than one metric tonne of depleted uranium was expended by UK forces during Operation Granby in 1991 and approximately 1.9 metric tonnes was expended by UK force during Operation Telic.

Armoured Personnel Carriers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors he took into account when he decided  (a) to sell the RG-31 armoured personnel carriers to the USA and  (b) not to upgrade them; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Mamba Mine Protected Vehicle was based on an earlier version of the RG-31. In response to an operational requirement for a vehicle protected against blast and explosively formed projectile attack from below and small arms, fragmentation and some blast from the side 14 second hand Mamba vehicles were bought in three batches through the Urgent Operational Requirements process between 1996-99. Six were bought in 1996 for the NATO Implementation Force mission in Bosnia; three were procured in 1999 for operations in Macedonia; and a further five were bought later in 1999 for operations in Kosovo. The approval cost of the first six was around £1.2 million and the second and third batches cost £l million and £2.3 million respectively. They were used by specialist teams for explosive ordnance disposal tasks such as reconnaissance, rescue and recovery and route proving and were deployed in the Balkans until 2003.
	The Mamba vehicle was delivered to the Ministry of Defence following modification of the base vehicle by the contractor, Alvis with the addition of appliqué belly armour to withstand attack by shaped-charge mines. This modification was included in the purchase cost. The extra weight of the appliqué armour was found to overload the Mambas and caused reliability and safety problems. The high level of maintenance required to keep the vehicles operational was exacerbated by a lack of commonality between the individual vehicles and poor availability of spares. In May 2001, due to road safety issues, their use was restricted to operational situations where there was a significant threat of minestrikes. Since the current version of the RG-31 is not in service with the UK armed forces we cannot comment on its ease of maintenance or reliability.
	The MOD considered modifying and refurbishing the vehicles but replacement with a new vehicle was identified as the better option. As a result the vehicles were disposed of in 2004 for a total of £448k. Nine were sold to Estonia, four to a US company and one to a company based in Singapore.

Army Recruitment

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people joined the Regular Army in each of the last 12 months; what percentage of those recruits became full combatants; and how many  (a) officers,  (b) non-commissioned officers and  (c) privates left the Regular Army in each month.

Derek Twigg: In the timescale available, it is not possible to provide the detail required. However, Tri Service Publication 4 (TSP 4) for 1 July 2006 provides the information on recruits and Army personnel numbers and copies are available in the Library of the House.

Biometric Technology

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) planned and  (b) existing projects in his Department involve the use of biometric technology.

Adam Ingram: The MOD is aware of the technical options of using biometric technology and is exploring its feasibility to analyse physical and behavioural characteristics. MOD's current priorities for this technology are in the areas of Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (C4ISTAR). Further planning in this area will be taken forward as implementation of section B3 of the Defence Technology Strategy, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Casualties in Action

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces have been injured in combat overseas since 2001, broken down by country.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence publishes data on battle and non-battle casualties that have resulted from our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, dating from March 2003 for Iraq and January 2006 for Afghanistan. The centrally available casualty statistics can be found on the Ministry of Defence website:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets
	Between March 2003 and 31 December 2005 there were 230 UK military and civilian personnel treated at UK medical facilities in Iraq for wounds received as a result of hostile action. These figures are derived from the best records currently held centrally but do not include those treated in the medical facilities of Coalition partners.
	Separate records, from notification of casualty reporting (NOTICAS), for the same period in Iraq, show that some 40 UK military and civilian personnel have been categorised as very seriously injured (VSI) from all causes, and that some 70 personnel have been categorised as seriously injured (SI) from all causes including as a result of hostile action.
	Since the beginning of the year, we have sought to collect better information on those suffering wounds as a result of combat. Between 1 January and 30 September 2006, 47 UK military and civilian personnel were admitted to the Shaibah Role 3 Medical Facility in Iraq categorised as wounded in action, including as a result of hostile action.
	Between 1 January and 31 August 2006, 41 UK military and civilian personnel were admitted to UK and Coalition medical facilities and categorised as wounded in action, including as a result of hostile action, in Afghanistan.
	For other medium-sized operations since 2001, such as the Balkans, data on casualties have not been centrally compiled. We are exploring the feasibility of collating data for these deployments so they may be published. I will write to the hon. Member when work is complete, and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Cluster Munitions

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what his Department's definition is of an acceptable failure rate for cluster munitions;
	(2)  if he will publish details of cluster munitions testing and evaluation which demonstrate the failure rate of specific munitions in different environments.

Adam Ingram: No weapon currently used by the MOD is operated with a built-in failure rate, as it is designed to operate effectively. Our weapon systems are expected to have optimum reliability in order to achieve maximum effectiveness on the battlefield.
	The failure rates are as follows:
	
		
			   Success/failure rate 
			 Shell 155 mm High Explosive Extended Range Bomblet Shell LI 20 95 per cent. Proof Standard Success Rate 
			 CRV7 C17/M261 Multi Purpose Sub Munition 6 per cent. Failure rate 
			 BL755 Overall Failure rate of 6.4 per cent. 
			 IBL755 (out of service)  
			 Radar BL755  
		
	
	Critical examinations, including physical and chemical condition and bomblet fuse functional testing is carried out routinely, confirming the weapons are safe to keep in the inventory and continue to provide an acceptable operation capability.
	Related information on munitions testing was released earlier this year, under the Freedom of Information Act. I am arranging for copies of that letter to be placed in the Library of the House (ref: 06-02-2006-145827-009).

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure on  (a) buildings and  (b) insurance of buildings and staff was of (i) his Department and (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body, (B) executive agency and (C) other public body for which his Department is responsible in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, (3) each English region and (4) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005-06 in each case.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Property

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the items valued at over £100 that have been reported as stolen from buildings occupied by his Department in the past 12 months.

Derek Twigg: Details of items reported as stolen are held centrally on a summary basis and relate primarily to reported suspected theft by Crown personnel and contractors of stores and equipment, usually recorded as multiples or combinations of items such as tools, items of clothing, foodstuffs etc. Not all of these have a value attributed when reported or can be readily identified as having been stolen from buildings. The following list identifies groups of related or like items reported as stolen during the year calendar year 2005 with an estimated collective or unit value exceeding £100.
	 Items:
	Computers, related peripherals and office equipment
	Foodstuffs
	Medical equipment
	Tools, ladders and related items
	Vehicles, vehicle parts and spares, generators and compressors
	Fuel
	Clothing and personal equipment
	Cameras, binoculars and night vision equipment
	Communications and radio equipment
	Training equipment
	Weapon related equipment

Departmental Staff

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many disabled people were hired by his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what percentage of the overall work force these figures represented in each year; and how many disabled people left their employment in his Department over the same period.

Derek Twigg: The following table shows the number of declared disabled people in the last five years who have joined the Department, the percentage who have joined as a proportion of the total workforce and the number who have left:
	
		
			   Financial years 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Number of disabled intake 80 80 75 85 35 
			 Proportion of work force (percentage) 0.08 0.08 0.09 0.09 0.04 
			 Number of disabled outflow 695 515 560 405 410 
			 Disability coverage for intake (percentage) 48 64 83 94 95 
			 Disability coverage for outflow (percentage) 31 59 65 69 73 
			  Note: All data have been rounded to the nearest five. Percentages are calculated from unrounded data. 
		
	
	Disability data are collected via self declaration by individuals. The proportion of personnel for whom disability status is known is shown for flows data in the table above.
	The total work force includes all departmental employees including casuals and those not directly funded by the Department such as staff on loan to other government Departments or NATO, and staff on career breaks or absent through long term sickness. Disability status is not available for Royal Fleet Auxiliary or Locally Engaged Civilians, therefore these have been excluded.

Departmental Staff

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department will  (a) carry out an age audit of its staff to establish an age profile of its work force,  (b) negotiate an age management policy with trade unions and employees to eliminate age discrimination and retain older workers,  (c) identify and support training needs and offer older staff flexible working to downshift towards retirement and  (d) extend to over-fifties the right to request to work flexibly and the right to training with paid time off; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The armed forces are exempt from the age related provisions of the Article 13 Employment Directive 2000 and the Employment Equality(Age) Regulations 2006. This is because all armed forces personnel need to be combat effective in order to meet a worldwide liability to deploy.
	However, in respect of MOD civilian personnel, the Department carries out regular age audits of its staff and is fully aware of the age profile of the MOD work force and has an overall age policy which has been agreed by the trade unions and which covers all age requirements.
	In respect of older workers, on 1 April 2006, following a departmental review, we changed our normal retirement age (NRA) for all grades below the senior civil service to age 65. We have always been willing to consider applications for extension of service beyond the Department's NRA for business reasons but this October we reviewed our policy to ensure compliance with the Age Regulations. Employees approaching retirement can apply to stay beyond age 65 and we will consider their application on its merits. In the near future we will review the requirement for a departmental NRA.
	The training needs for all staff are considered at least annually as part of the Performance Assessment and Development Review and all staff are able to request to work flexibly and have access to relevant training.

Deployment (Germany)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops were stationed in Germany in each of the last five years; and how many have been stationed there in 2006.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 6 November 2006
	Reliable figures showing service personnel based in Germany are only available from the 1 July 2005. These figures are shown in Tri Service Publication 6, Global Location of UK Regular Forces (TSP 6).
	TSP 6 is published quarterly; the most recent publication shows the numbers of Service personnel at 1 July 2006. Copies of TSP 6 are held in the House of Commons Library and also available on www.dasa.mod.uk.

Downgrading Reports

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the  (a) quarterly and  (b) annual downgrading reports for each financial year and quarter since 1997-98.

Derek Twigg: In 2002, the Ministry of Defence began work to produce quantifiable information on medically downgraded personnel in the regular UK armed forces in terms of both overall prevalence and the causes and medical conditions that had led to the downgradings. These reports were for internal personnel and medical management purposes only. The majority were produced with unrounded numbers and thus disclosive of sensitive personal information. These reports cannot be made non-disclosive without incurring disproportionate cost.
	From the October 2004 position date, the publication "Numbers Medically Downgraded" was produced on a quarterly basis with rounded numbers until April 2005 when it was discontinued. I will make arrangements for copies of these to be placed in the Library of the House.

Electromagnetic Pulse Weapons

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research his Department is conducting into the use by enemy forces of an electromagnetic pulse weapon on the UK mainland; and what steps he is taking to ensure measures are in place to counter the effects of such an attack.

Adam Ingram: Research programmes have been undertaken since the mid 1980s into the threat posed by electromagnetic energy, including high power microwave and radio frequency sources, to both military and civil electronics-rich systems. This research has produced guidelines and procedures to alleviate these effects, by using good equipment fabrication practice, shielding techniques and hardened circuit design.

Engineering Training

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's plans for engineering training in the armed forces.

Derek Twigg: Future plans for engineering training in the armed forces are dependant on the outcome of the Defence Training Review (DTR) Rationalisation Programme, which is currently at an advanced stage of competition. I anticipate making an announcement on DTR later this year.

Future Surface Combatant

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the design of the Future Surface Combatant; and how many such vessels are expected to be ordered.

Adam Ingram: The Future Surface Combatant programme is currently in its concept phase where studies and assessments are being undertaken to refine the requirement. Detailed design work has not commenced, nor has any decision been made on the required class size.

Helicopters (Afghanistan)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to increase the number of support helicopters in Afghanistan; and what discussions he has had with commercial operators on their ability to provide helicopters.

Adam Ingram: We keep under constant review how best to sustain and refresh our helicopter capability provided to operations. One options is to lease or charter helicopters to support current operations and officials have held discussions with a number of potential providers. However, no decisions have been made. Any further enhancements to the force will be announced to Parliament in the usual manner.

HMS Sultan

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of HMS Sultan.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 7 November 2006
	A final decision on the future of HMS Sultan is dependant on the outcome of the Defence Training Review (DTR) Rationalisation Programme which is currently at an advanced stage of competition. I anticipate making an announcement on DTR later this year.

Injured Servicemen (Active Duty)

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many servicemen have been injured such as to prevent their return to full front-line duty since the beginning of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Derek Twigg: The information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Medical Personnel

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) actual strength,  (b) establishment and  (c) percentage difference between establishment and actual strength is of each specialty of qualified medical personnel in the Army.

Adam Ingram: The following table illustrates the establishment and trained strength of qualified medical personnel in the Army, broken down by specialty, as at 1 July 2006. The table also shows the difference between trained strength and establishment, as a percentage of establishment.
	
		
			  Specialty  Establishment  Trained strength  Difference between establishment and trained strength as a percentage of establishment (Percentage) 
			 Nurse 860 590 31 
			 Primary and Secondary Care Medical Officers 430 230 46 
			 Medical Support Services(1) 2,960 2,320 22 
			 Dental Services(2) 430 350 19 
			 (1 )Includes health care assistants. (2 )Includes dental officers as well as dental support staff  Notes: 1. Figures as at 1 July 2006. 2. All figures over 100 rounded to nearest 10 3. Figures include some staff working out of speciality in headquarter posts  Source:  DMSD

Military Personnel (Injuries)

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel are in hospital following injuries sustained while serving in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; and how many in each category were in hospital in April.

Derek Twigg: On 20 October 2006, 10 military personnel were being treated in UK hospitals, having been admitted from the operational area, for physical injuries sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan. Historical records for this type of information were not collated and so the number of military personnel in hospital in April 2006 could be provided by looking through individual patient medical records only at disproportionate cost.
	The MOD website publishes figures for the total number of UK military and civilian personnel admitted for injuries to UK or coalition medical facilities in Afghanistan and the Shaibah Role 3 UK medical facility in Iraq (http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets). The total figures for April and September, the last full month for which figures are available, are as follows. Figures in brackets show the combined total of seriously and very seriously injured personnel contained within the overall total injured:
	
		
			  Personnel injured in theatre 
			  Number 
			   April 2006  September 2006 
			 Iraq 161 (1) 91 (1) 
			 Afghanistan 18 (3) 37 (10) 
		
	
	In addition to this, the total number of service personnel who were aeromedically evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan to a UK hospital in April and September 2006, were as follows:
	
		
			  Personnel evacuated to UK hospitals 
			  Number 
			   April 2006  September 2006 
			 Iraq 35 31 
			 Afghanistan 6 25

Ministry of Defence Police

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those whom the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency regards as its stakeholder customers.

Derek Twigg: The primary stakeholder/customers for MDPGA services are Central Top Level Budget, Defence Logistics Organisation, Defence Procurement Agency; Royal Air Force Strike Command/Personnel and Training Command; Land Command; Adjutant-General; Commander-in-Chief Fleet/Second Sea Lord; Chief of Joint Operations and Defence Science Technology Laboratory and United States Visiting Forces. Other customers include QinetiQ; The Royal Mint; Atomic Weapons Establishment plc.; the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO).

National Radiological Protection Board

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the name, rank and service number were of each serviceman excluded from the study by the National Radiological Protection Board published in the 1993 British Medical Journal 307 1530-5.

Adam Ingram: The names, rank and serial number of Service personnel participating in the study, is considered to be personal data within the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the disclosure without consent of the information requested would contravene the data protection principles and breach undertakings of confidentiality given to participants at the time. To obtain agreement to release this information would incur disproportionate costs. However, broad descriptions of these servicemen, who were excluded from the main study since they had left the test sites before the first detonation and were therefore considered unlikely to have had any more potential for radiation exposure than the general public, have been published within both the 1993 and 2003 National Radiological Protection Board reports.

Naval Manning Templates

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the Royal Navy's quarterly manning templates for  (a) financial years 1997-98 to 2005-06 and  (b) the first two quarters of 2006-07.

Adam Ingram: Yes.

Nuclear Deterrent

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what preliminary estimate he has made of the cost of a new generation of the nuclear deterrent based upon the Trident ballistic missile system and four new submarines.

Des Browne: In preparation for decisions which we intend to take later this year on the future of the UK's nuclear deterrent, work is being undertaken by officials on options and costs. The results of that work will be set out in the White Paper that we have said we will publish.

Old Sarum Airfield

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence aircraft have  (a) landed and  (b) taken off from Old Sarum airfield in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Based on information provided by the Department of Transport, the details for each year from 2001 are as follows:
	
		
			   Landed  Taken off 
			 2006(1) 8 8 
			 2005 (2)36 36 
			 2004 26 26 
			 2003 20 (3)21 
			 2002 15 15 
			 2001(4) 12 12 
			 (1) Date to 2 November 2006, includes one Royal Flight. (2 )Includes one emergency RAF landing due to a bird strike. (3) Sometimes military aircraft release their landing gear so the wheels just touch the runway but the aircraft keeps flying, hence the odd number. (4) Data for 1 January are not available.

Parliamentary Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will provide an answer to question  (a) 85760,  (b) 85561,  (c) 85755,  (d) 85107,  (e) 85093,  (f) 85106,  (g) 85213,  (h) 84882,  (i) 82863 and  (j) 70034 tabled by the hon. Member for Forest of Dean.

Derek Twigg: I replied to the hon. Member on the following dates:
	87560—replied 2 October 2006,  Official Report, column 2573W;
	85561—replied 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1685W;
	85755—replied 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 771-75W;
	85107—replied 6 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 792-73W;
	85093—replied 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 761-62W;
	85106—replied 6 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 791-92W;
	85213—replied 4 September 2006,  Official Report, columns 1682-84W;
	84882—replied 6 November 2006,  Official Report, column 821W;
	82863—replied 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1685W;
	70034—I replied to the hon. Member today.

Parliamentary Questions

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will reply to question 83760 tabled by the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South on 6 July.

Adam Ingram: I replied to the hon. Member earlier today.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the arrangements are for the payment of pensions to people who retire early through ill-health for each pension scheme for which his Department is responsible; what the incidence of ill-health retirement was as a percentage of all retirement for such schemes for each year since 1988-89; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Department is responsible for a number of pension schemes. The principal ones are the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975 (AFPS 75) and the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (AFPS 05). There are a number of other minor schemes for: Reservists; Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS) who support the TA; the Gurkhas; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RGR); and a number of small overseas schemes for formerly locally employed personnel, none of which have active members. The arrangements for paying ill-health pensions under these schemes for non-attributable conditions are as follows.
	Members of AFPS 75 with more than two years reckonable service and the Royal Gibraltar Regiment who have more than five years reckonable service are eligible for an enhanced Service Invaliding Pension, based on rank and length of service, and a terminal grant of three times pension.
	AFPS 05 members' ill-health arrangements are based on three tiers dependent on the seriousness of injury or illness. A lump sum is paid for minor conditions. For those conditions which significantly impair prospects for future gainful employment or leave the individual permanently incapable of further full-time employment an enhanced pension and lump sum of three times pension are paid.
	Reserve Forces Pension Scheme members who have completed two years reckonable service receive an enhanced ill-health pension based on one of two tiers dependent upon the seriousness of the illness/injury with a lump sum of three times the pension also payable.
	For those personnel who are members of the minor pension schemes the following arrangements apply: Non Regular Permanent Staff Scheme members with a minimum of two years reckonable service receive an ill-health pension and lump sum. For those with reckonable service of more than five years ill-health pensions are payable at an enhanced rate. Members of the Gurkha Pension Scheme (GPS) with less than 10 years reckonable service receive an invaliding gratuity; those with more than 10 years reckonable service receive a invaliding pension.
	In cases where the medical retirement is attributable that is due to a condition caused or hastened by service, additional benefits are payable, depending on the scheme and the date of retirement. For attributable conditions sustained before 6 April 2005 benefits are paid under the War Pension Scheme and AFPS 75. On or after the 6 April 2005, the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme will pay the benefits.
	The outflow due to medical reasons of trained UK Regular Forces as a percentage of all trained outflow to civil life each year since 1990-91 is shown in the following table. Data prior to 1998-99 were not recorded.
	
		
			  All services  Percentage 
			 1990-91 2.6 
			 1991-92 2.8 
			 1992-93 2.7 
			 1993-94 2.7 
			 1994-95 2.9 
			 1995-96 4.6 
			 1996-97 3.6 
			 1997-98 5.8 
			 1998-99 5.1 
			 1999-2000 5.8 
			 2000-01 5.5 
			 2001-02 5.4 
			 2002-03 5.2 
			 2003-04 5.0 
			 2004-05 5.6 
			 2005-06 5.5 
		
	
	The statistics provided are based on trained outflow, which means that this excludes personnel who leave the armed forces before completing basic training. Data are not collected for members of the NRPS scheme, RGR and the GPS. The data illustrate an increase in percentage terms of ill-health retirement from 1997 onwards which is due to a decline in the overall outflow (i.e. trained personnel) in subsequent years.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current rate of ill-health retirement is for each public sector pension scheme for which his Department is responsible; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Average trained strength  Medical outflow  Medical outflow rate (percentage) 
			 All service 180,660 1,090 0.6 
			 Officers 29,810 60 0.2 
			 Other ranks 150,850 1.030 0.7 
			 Naval service 35,010 380 1.1 
			 Officers 6,640 20 0.3 
			 Other ranks 28,370 360 1.3 
			 Army 97,760 500 0.5 
			 Officers 13,750 20 0.1 
			 Other ranks 84,020 480 0.6 
			 Royal air force 47,890 210 0.4 
			 Officers 9,420 20 0.2 
			 Other ranks 38,470 190 0.5 
			  Note: UK regular forces includes nursing services and excludes full-time reserve service personnel, Gurkhas, the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists.  Source: DASA (Tri-Service) 
		
	
	Figures show medical outflow from trained UK regular forces including recalled reservists on release and outflow to the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment. Average trained strength is defined as a 13 month rolling average of the trained strength in the individual months.
	Annual rates are calculated by taking the number of exits as a percentage of the average strength of all trained officers or other ranks.
	Due to the rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in five have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. Rates are calculated from unrounded numbers.

Price Indices

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's  (a) quarterly price index forecast and  (b) quarterly foreign price index booklet for the latest five quarters.

Adam Ingram: I will place copies of the last five quarters of the DASA Price Indices Foreign Quarterly Summary in the Library of the House.
	I am unable to place copies of the last five quarters of the DASA Price Indices UK Quarterly Forecast as their release would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.

Project Delivery Skills

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on the pan-Defence Project Delivery Skills Programme.

Adam Ingram: The pan-Defence Project Delivery Skills Programme is now being taken forward as part of the Defence Acquisition Change Programme that is implementing the recommendations of the Enabling Acquisition Change report which was published on 3 July 2006. The report highlighted the importance of acquisition skills and good progress is being made in a number of areas.
	An initial skills review across the Department has been completed by the recently established network of Skills Champions. Champions have identified the skills gaps across the MOD and have developed Skills Growth Plans which will propose specific actions to reduce or remove these skills gaps. In addition, professional standards are being defined for Programme and Project Management, Commercial and Procurement, Logistics, Resource Management, Engineering and Science and Information systems, and reward measures are being refined to increase payments for individuals who achieve Association for Project Management Professional and Practitioner qualifications.
	In June 2006 we appointed a Defence Commercial Director. This post established a single senior official responsible for leading on commercial policy and strategy and to act as head of profession and Skills Champion for the entire MOD commercial function. Options and opportunities for joint commercial skills training, particularly in the area of partnering, are now being actively explored with industry.
	The behaviours underpinning the Defence Values for Acquisition have been defined, guidance on their use in setting personal objectives has been communicated within the Department and we are working with suppliers to embed these values in industry.

Recycling

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to encourage the use of reused and recycled materials in capital procurement projects for which his Department is responsible.

Derek Twigg: On 12 June, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, announced new sustainable operations targets for the Government estate. They focus on key areas such as carbon neutrality and emissions, energy efficiency, waste and water consumption.
	The new targets require all central Government Departments' estates to:
	Increase their recycling figures to 40 per cent. of their waste arisings by 2010.
	Increase their recycling figures to 75 per cent. of their waste arisings by 2020.
	Reduce their waste arisings by 5 per cent. by 2010, relative to 2004-05 levels.
	Reduce their waste arisings by 25 per cent. by 2020, relative to 2004-05 levels.
	The targets also require Departments' construction projects and refurbishments to achieve a high standard in accordance with the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), or equivalent. BREEAM gives credit where reused and recycled material has been utilised in capital procurement projects.
	In addition, the Waste and Resources Action programme (WRAP) works with some Departments to embed sustainable procurement practices in their construction and refurbishment projects.
	In accordance with existing legislation and current Government targets and policy on sustainable procurement, the Ministry of Defence now has in place procurement processes aimed at encouraging the maximum use of reused and recycled materials.

Reservists

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists have been mobilised under the Reserve Forces Act 1994 and served longer than 12 months mobilised service for or in support of  (a) Operation Telic and  (b) Operation Herrick excluding personnel retained on Y list for medical conditions.

Derek Twigg: Under the Reserve Forces Act 1996 some 13,500 reservists have been mobilised to support Op. Telic and some 1,100 to support Op. Herrick. With regard to the number of reservists who may have served in excess of 12 months, the information requested is not centrally held. In order to obtain this information we would have to manually review the records of each serviceman mobilised and this could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Royal Ordnance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the value of liabilities his Department has under section 8 of the Ordnance Factories and Military Services Act 1984.

Tom Watson: holding answer 11 May 2006
	The Ministry of Defence is unable to answer this question without further clarification.

Science and Technology

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to complete the Science and Technology Capability and Alignment Study.

Adam Ingram: A review of the alignment of our research programme with MOD needs, as laid out in the Defence Industrial Strategy, was published as "Maximising Benefit from Defence Research" on 3 October. The document is available at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/ReportAimsToMaximiseScienceBenefits.htm

Service Accommodation

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of renting service accommodation for armed forces personnel in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005 and  (c) 2006.

Derek Twigg: The costs for service families' accommodation in Great Britain were: 2003-04 £186 million; 2004-05 £195 million; and for 2005-06 £233 million. These figures include the cost of renting leased properties from Annington Homes Ltd., Substitute Service Families Accommodation and Substitute Single Service Accommodation. There is an occasional requirement in overseas locations for the Department to rent, on a short-term basis, accommodation for service personnel. The cost of this could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Service Personnel (Mail)

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of subsidised mail for service personnel on active service abroad was in each of the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of a free mail facility.

Adam Ingram: Actual data on the costs of subsidised mail for military personnel serving abroad are not recorded. The majority of mail is carried by RAF aircraft transporting personnel and supplies and the costs are not broken down separately. It has, however, previously been estimated in broad terms that to introduce a free mail service for an entire year would cost in the region of £9 million, once BFPO handling and sorting, and RAF handling and transportation are factored in.

Urgent Operational Requirements

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the approved Urgent Operational Requirements from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005 and (c) 2006; and what the cost was of each.

Adam Ingram: As the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are still ongoing, much information regarding specific Urgent Operational Requirements (UORs) remains operationally sensitive; and is withheld as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the security of our armed forces.
	In financial year 2004-05, UOR spend was £160 million for Iraq and £10 million for Afghanistan (rounded to the nearest £10 million). For 2005-06, a change in accounting systems has meant that the breakdown of UOR spend within overall operational costs is still being finalised. For 2006-07, as the operations are ongoing, costs are still being raised.
	As an indicative illustration of the equipment procured using the UOR process, in the order of three quarters of the funds approved for UORs for Iraq (post-warfighting) and Afghanistan have been for force protection (e.g. new body armour, defensive aids suites for aircraft and uparmoured land vehicles); much of the remainder has been for Command, Control, Communications and Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (C4ISTAR) (e.g. additional high frequency radios).

Weapons Systems and Equipment

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the weapons systems and equipment which have come into service in the UK armed forces since January 1976.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new powers to regulate bus services his Department plans to give to local authorities outside London; and what the time scale is for the introduction of those powers.

Gillian Merron: The Government are committed to improving bus services for passengers across the country and to giving the local transport authorities that need them the powers to make a difference. We have been taking a hard look at bus services to see what works and what does not and have been talking to local authorities, the bus industry, bus users and other stakeholders. The Government's proposals on the direction of future bus policy will soon be set out.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total work force they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport (DfT) comprises a central Department plus seven executive agencies each with its own pay and reward system. Information has been collected from the central Department and all seven agencies and collated into one set of figures. Available information relates only to 2004-05 and 2005-06.
	In 2004-05 65 or 49 per cent. of permanent senior civil servants (SCS) received an award in respect of overall performance, totalling £326,000. Performance awards are an intrinsic part of the SCS pay system. The largest award was £8,500. For 2005-06 105 or 76 per cent. received awards, totalling £492,000. The largest was £17,000.
	In 2004-05 11,951 or 72.6 per cent. of non-SCS staff received an award in respect of overall performance, totalling £6,043,568. The largest single award was £5,550. (These figures exclude the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the award value for the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA)). For 2005-06 £12,073 or 78.5 per cent. of non-SCS received awards totalling £7,619,111. The largest was £2,900. (These figures exclude VOSA).
	In 2004-05 649 or 5.4 per cent. of non-SCS staff received an award in respect of exceptional performance on a specific task or at a specific time totalling £160,810. The largest single award was £1,000. (This excludes MCA, the Government Car and Despatch Agency, Highways Agency (HA), and the award value for VOSA). In 2005-06 670 or 5.1 per cent. of non-SCS received awards totalling £197,610. The largest was £1,500. (These figures exclude HA and VOSA).
	The DfT is committed to rewarding good performance and aims to increase performance awards available to non-SCS staff.

M1 Widening

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the widening of the M1 motorway between junctions 8 and 10 is not being carried out on a 24-hour basis.

Stephen Ladyman: On the M1 between J6a-10, working hours are generally from 07:00 to 19:00 hours Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings. Works requiring additional lane closures, such as changing traffic management layouts, lifting new bridge beams into place and demolishing old bridges are done at night while traffic flows are lower.
	To fully operate on a 24-hour basis would significantly increase costs and adversely affect local residents. Health and safety is also a concern as certain operations cannot be undertaken in the dark.

M18 Roadworks

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work is scheduled to take place on or near junction 4 on the north bound carriageway of the M18 motorway; how long it will take to complete; whether lane closures will be necessary; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency is carrying out repairs to the Waterton Accommodation Bridge on the M18 between junctions 4 and 5. Works began on 30 October for 10 weeks and involve re-aligning the bridge, replacing bearings and concrete repairs. The majority of the works will be carried out using lane 2 closures with lane 1 and hardshoulder open to traffic on both north and southbound carriageways. Traffic management measures involving single-lane running will also be in place during off-peak periods over the weekend and at night for the duration of the works.

Motorway Service Areas

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to implement fully the Government's policy of providing a motorway service area every 30 minutes on the motorway network.

Stephen Ladyman: Since 1992 it has been Government policy that it is for the private sector to bring forward proposals for new motorway service areas (MSAs) through the planning process. Current policy aims to encourage a network of MSAs at intervals of roughly 30 miles, giving motorists the opportunity to stop and rest approximately every half an hour at normal motorway speeds. This network is broadly complete though there is still a noticeable gap on the western sector of the M25
	Following a public inquiry, planning permission has been granted for two MSAs at Cobham (M25 J9-10) and Burtley Wood (M40 J2) which will help to fill this gap.
	I have recently asked the Highways Agency to undertake a review of policy on roadside facilities, including motorway service areas. As part of the review process we shall be carrying out a public consultation exercise and policy on spacing will be amongst the issues considered. It is anticipated that this consultation will commence in mid November.

Road Accidents

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents in each of the last five years involved a driver from outside the UK who did not hold a British driving licence.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not available.

Road Costs

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total construction cost was of each Design Build Finance and Operate road; what the expected total cost of each contract is to public funds; and by what year all such costs are expected to have been paid in each case.

Stephen Ladyman: It has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Smartcard Ticketing

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to ensure that new smartcard ticketing under the new West Midlands, East Midlands and Cross Country rail franchise contract agreement will allow passengers to cross franchise borders using the same smartcard ticket.

Tom Harris: Each of the three new franchises will be required to implement smartcard ticketing conforming to the ITSO (Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation) standard. ITSO is a national standard which has been sponsored by the Department for Transport to make sure that different smartcard schemes will be compatible and can therefore work across boundaries as more smartcard-enabled rail franchises come on stream.

Speed Limiting Devices

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on the number of  (a) injuries and  (b) fatalities to heavy goods vehicle drivers of the compulsory introduction of speed limiting devices; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: No specific assessment has been made. However, overall, the accident rate involving heavy goods vehicles decreased by 34 per cent. between 1991 (just before the fitment of speed limiters became mandatory) and 2002.

Transport Projects

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which projects valued at more than £100 million are under consideration by his Department.

Gillian Merron: It has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Waterborne Sustainable Transport

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) financial and  (b) other support is given to encourage the establishment of waterborne sustainable transport within urban areas using inland waterways; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: Since 1997, the Government have awarded grants of £54 million for water freight schemes, including schemes in urban areas. These will have saved over one billion road miles-worth of lorry journeys on our roads. Last year we introduced a new Waterborne Freight Grant scheme to assist both inland waterways and shipping companies with their operating costs.
	Since 2002, we have implemented the recommendations of the Freight Study Group to increase freight traffic on the inland waterways of England and Wales, including those in urban areas. Measures included:
	funding a water freight business directory (run by Sea and Water) to provide potential customers with all the information they need to make an informed choice about the services available for moving freight by water; and
	publishing "Planning for Freight on Inland Waterways", practical guidance for planning authorities.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Concessionary Fare Scheme (Tyne and Wear)

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what arrangements are in place to avoid a repeat of the cuts made to bus services and the introduction of higher charges earlier this year to cover for the shortfall in implementing the concessionary fare scheme for elderly and disabled persons in the Tyne and Wear area.

Phil Woolas: It is for local authorities to develop and implement affordable schemes with local bus providers which deliver effective concessionary travel to meet their statutory responsibilities, and also achieve the aims of those additional concessions which local people wish to see run in their areas. The Government has provided an overall increase in Government grant of 2.7 billion or 4.5 per cent. in 2006-07 and has committed to an increase of £3 billion or 5 per cent. in 2007-08 for all local services including local authorities' responsibilities for concessionary travel schemes, as part of the first two-year settlement for authorities. Decisions on whether or not to subsidise particular local bus services are at the discretion of the relevant local authority. There are no specific arrangements in place to safeguard particular services.
	Responsibility for policy on bus services is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

Departmental Expenditure

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department has spent on external media trainers in each year since 2002, broken down by supplier.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which  (a) public relations and  (b) marketing firms have been hired by her Department and its predecessor since 2002; what the total expenditure was on each firm; and for what purpose each agency was hired.

Angela Smith: Since 2002 the following public relations have been hired by the Department and its predecessors:
	Amazon PR working on the registration of Houses of Multiple Occupancy expenditure spent to date of £90,000. The aim of the campaign is to encourage landlords to become registered and in the long term to improve the quality of properties in the rented sector.
	Band and Brown working on the promotion of Home Information Packs with expenditure to date of £56,000. The aim of this activity is to raise awareness of the introduction of the packs in June 2007 among the public and industry.
	Blue Rubicon working on the promotion of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme with expenditure to date of £46,000. The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness among tenants and landlords of their obligations under the Housing Act 2004.
	The Central Office of Information (COI) working on Fire Safety with a total spend of £648,000. This ongoing campaign is helping to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by fires in the home.
	Robson Brown was the only marketing firm hired by the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister working on the Elected Regional Assemblies awareness campaign with a total spend of £205,000. All other public relations and marketing activity was carried out by the Department.

Deprivation (Norwich, North)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps have been taken to tackle deprivation in Norwich North.

Phil Woolas: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Empty Dwellings

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether councils are allowed to use  (a) the full electoral register and  (b) council tax records to identify potential homes for empty dwelling management orders.

Yvette Cooper: Long-term empty dwellings cause serious problems for the community and we encourage local authorities to have strategies in place to bring such properties back into use. Local authorities can use the best information available to them to identify the owners of empty properties so they can work with them or take further action to bring them back into use. This can include local surveys, logging empty properties reported by individuals, and reviewing records held by authority.

Home Information Packs

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department has spent on  (a) administration,  (b) legal fees,  (c) special advisers,  (d) the website and  (e) other costs for the home information packs programme; what funding was originally allocated to the programme; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The following table indicates how much the Department for Communities and Local Government has spent on administration, legal fees, special advisers, the website and other costs associated with the Home Information Pack Programme from April 2005 up to the end of September 2006. Consumers spend billions of pounds each year on the transaction costs they incur when buying and selling homes. HIPs are designed to cut waste from home buying and selling as well as providing important energy information to help cut carbon emissions. The money has been spent on developing and testing the home condition report and other components of the pack; putting in place a quality assurance framework to protect consumers and guarantee standards; developing the necessary systems and explaining the changes to the public and industry stakeholders.
	
		
			  Administration spend—including salaries of those working on HIPs policy and implementation 
			   Total (£) 
			 Legal fees 1,157,407.53 
			 External advisors 4,555,486 
			 Website 69,000 
			 Other costs 870,680 
			 Communications 1,436,102 
			 Total programme spend 7,077,149 
			 Grand total(1) 8,234,556 
			 (1 )Expenditure as recorded in the Department's accounting system from April 2004 to September 2006 inclusive. 
		
	
	The budget for the programme for the period 2005-06 to 2006-07 is £14 million.

Home Information Packs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Government has spent on preparing for home information packs.

Yvette Cooper: Consumers spend many billions of pounds each year on the transaction costs involved in home buying and selling. Home information packs are designed to cut waste, speed up transactions and provide important energy efficiency information that could help cut carbon emissions from our homes.
	Specific figure for expenditure on Home Information Packs only exist from 2000-01. Between then and the end of September this year a total of £10.03 million programme expenditure has been spent to prepare for home information packs which will bring about major changes to that process to the benefit of consumers and the environment. This has been spent on developing and testing the home condition report and other components of the pack; putting in place a quality assurance framework to protect consumers and guarantee standards; developing the necessary systems and explaining the changes to the public and industry stakeholders.

Home Information Packs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  which consultants have been employed by her Department in relation to home information packs; and at what cost;
	(2)  what the total cost of the Home Information Pack Scheme has been since 1997.

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which consultants her Department has commissioned in relation to home information packs; and at what cost.

Yvette Cooper: The home information pack programme is bringing about major changes to the multi-billion pound home buying and selling industry to the benefit of consumers and the environment. The work has included developing and testing the home condition report and the energy performance certificate; putting in place a quality assurance framework to protect consumers and guarantee standards; developing the necessary systems and explaining the changes to the public and industry stakeholders. This has required a wide range of technical and professional expertise to implement that the Department either does not have or does not have in sufficient quantity. The following firms have provided this expertise since 2004-05—the year in which the Housing Act 2004 received Royal Assent.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Companies  Total( 1) 
			 Amtec/Hedra Consulting: procurement of a secure databank to store home condition reports 147,136 
			 Asset Skills: as Sector Skills Council for the property industry it developed the National Occupational Standard for home inspectors and assisted with the evaluation of the home inspector qualification 36,004 
			 Atkins Ltd: expert advice on the management of the programme 11,790 
			 Computer People Ltd: IT-related technical infrastructure advice for the various systems required to operate home information packs 250,457 
			 Concerto: private sector expertise to provide policy advice and support key elements of the programme such as the qualification process for home inspectors and the development of the dry run 241,006 
			 Cornwell Management Consultants: setting up small team and processes to manage the programme 18,000 
			 DBI Consulting: implementation of aspects of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 59,503 
			 Independent Consultants individuals hired to provide particular expertise e.g. to act a chair of the Central Stakeholders Group 29,560 
			 LA International: development of the home condition report register 81,104 
			 Mouchel Parkman Services: advice on the staff and other resources required for programme 35,107 
			 Nescomms Ltd: planning the implementation of HIPs including identifying the inter-relationships between different aspects of the programme so as to ensure smooth implementation 44,383 
			 Oakleigh Consulting Ltd: development of the business case for HIPs health check on programme processes 102,905 
			 OGC consultants: formal reviews of the state of the HIPs implementation programme and senior level support and advice to senior management 64,629 
			 PA Consulting; programme management; design and procurement of certification schemes; modelling of home inspector numbers; and high-level professional expertise in areas such as stakeholder management; organising the area trials and promoting the voluntary take up of home condition reports etc 1,752,728 
			 PKF: accounting and other advice to support various aspects of the programme 59,741 
			 Property Industry Research (PIR): expert technical advice on the design and development of key components of the programme including the home condition report, the home condition report register and certification schemes 1,252,057 
			 Tribal Consulting: programme management, quality assurance, monitoring the training of home inspectors, analysis of the Dry Run 300,231 
			 Xansa UK Ltd: IT advice and documentation 69,143 
			 Total 4,555,486 
			 (1) Expenditure as recorded in the Department's accounting system from April2004 to September 2006 inclusive.

Home Information Packs

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will bring forward proposals to ensure that compliance with part P of the building regulations is assessed in home condition reports and subsequently home information packs.

Yvette Cooper: The HCR will contain a safety warning about the need for periodic inspection and testing, and advise that any electrical installation carried out after part P came into effect on 1 January 2005 should have an electrical installation certificate.
	Information about standards of safety to which a property ought to, or does, comply with is authorised for inclusion in the pack, so safety certificates could be included and it would clearly be in the seller's interest to do so.
	We are considering how electrical safety information, including where electrical work has been "self-certified" under a competent persons scheme, can be made available through the standard search process.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the research report commissioned by her Department 'Perceptions of Privacy and Density in Housing'.

Yvette Cooper: This report, 'Perceptions of Privacy and Density in Housing', was commissioned by the Design for Homes Popular Housing Research (a group that resulted from the merger of Design for Homes and the Popular Housing Group). This work was supported by the then Office for the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as the professional bodies RICS, RIBA and RTPI, and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.
	Many of the report's recommendations were aimed at improving practice among designers. However, this Department has taken measures to improve privacy in households. In particular, the 2003 and 2004 revisions to Part E of the Building Regulations have improved performance and compliance on sound insulation; one of the report's central recommendations.
	This report was not a Government publication. However, copies of this report are being placed in the Library of the House. In addition, a summary of the report, and information about how to get further printed copies, is available at:
	http://www.designforhomes.org/privacy_and_density.html

Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) lowest and  (b) highest sale prices were for two-bed properties sold under shared ownership schemes in (i) England, (ii) each region and (iii) each London local authority area in 2005.

Yvette Cooper: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of shared ownership sales in  (a) England,  (b) each English region and  (c) each London local authority was to households with a total income of (i) £25,000 and under (ii) £50,000 and under and (iii) £75,000 and under in 2005-06.

Yvette Cooper: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many house repossessions have occurred in Coventry, South in the last 12 months.

Yvette Cooper: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Davies) on 6 November 2006,  Official Report, column 897W.

Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have take up Government initiatives on shared ownership and subsidised home ownership in Coventry, South.

Yvette Cooper: Between 1991-92 and 2005-06, 700 households were helped through shared ownership or subsidised home ownership schemes in Coventry, subsidised through the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme. We do not hold information on these programmes before 1991-92.
	Information specific to the Coventry, South constituency is not held centrally.

Housing (Pet Covenants)

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what assessment the Government have made of  (a) the merits and  (b) the enforceability of covenants on new homes banning cats and dogs as pets in special protection areas;
	(2)  what assessment the Government have made of the effect of special protection area status on housing developers' decisions on building new homes with covenants that prevent residents owning dogs or cats.

Yvette Cooper: Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are classified under the EU Birds Directive and receive statutory protection under the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994. Development must be in line with the Regulations.
	The Government are working with stakeholders to consider mechanisms that will allow development to take place without having an adverse impact on SPAs. The Examination-in-Public process for the South East Plan provides an opportunity for consideration of how specific impacts on the SPA from new housing (including from recreational dog walking and predation of bird species by domestic cats) can be addressed.

Housing Data Warehouse

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans his Department has to develop the housing data warehouse; and what sources will contribute to the database.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Housing data are currently held in a series of different ways including the National Register of Social Housing, local authority information on empty homes and homes of multiple occupations, and Valuation Office Agency information. The Housing Data Warehouse will coordinate that data so it can be used more effectively for statistical analysis, for example for cross checking the level of housebuilding or gathering statistical data about housing for geographic areas which cut across local authority boundaries (for example Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders).

Hutchinson Ports

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what meetings  (a) he,  (b) Ministers in his Department and  (c) civil servants in his Department have had with (i) Hutchinson Ports and (ii) third parties representing Hutchinson Ports; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	My Department has no record of any meetings between my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and Hutchinson Ports or their representatives. Neither I nor any other current Minister has had any such meeting. And, as far as we are able to ascertain, no current official of the Department for Communities and Local Government has had any meetings with Hutchinson Ports or their representatives, other than the planning inspectors who heard evidence given to the public planning inquiries into the Bathside Bay and Felixstowe port developments.

Land Use

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the difference is between the Full National Land Use Database (NLUD-Baseline) and the Generalised Land Use Database in terms of what  (a) data is held and  (b) range of the data held.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands) on 10 August 2006, printed on 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1672W.

Land Use

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the National Land Use Database typology of land or buildings currently in use where it is known there is potential for redevelopment (but the sites do not have any plan allocation or planning permission) includes  (a) gardens and  (b) open spaces surrounding existing residential properties.

Yvette Cooper: The typology for land currently in use only includes land which the local authority has identified as suitable for development. It includes residential as well as other land, however there is an optional threshold of 0.25 hectares and therefore it generally does not include small sites.

Land Use

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the research report commissioned by her Department 'Valuing the Benefits of Undeveloped Land'.

Yvette Cooper: Yes a copy of 'Valuing the External Benefits of Undeveloped Land: A Review of the Economic Literature' will be placed in the Library.
	The report is also on the Department's website (www.communities.gov.uk). A link to the report can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1145258

Land Use

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research her Department has undertaken in relation to developing  (a) a national property database and  (b) a national spatial data infrastructure.

Yvette Cooper: The information is as follows:
	 (a) None; and
	 (b) The Department has not undertaken any research into a national spatial data infrastructure. However, the Geographic Information Panel has commissioned a UK Geographic Information strategy. This will consider the benefits to society, Government and business of a more formally co-ordinated approach to management of geographic information.
	The Geographic Panel is a cross-sectoral advisory group, established by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in response to Select Committee recommendation to provide Ministers with high-level advice on geographic information issues of national importance. Further information can be found on its website at www.gipanel.org.uk

Land Use

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for the implementation of the National Land Use Database.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands) on 10 August 2006, printed on 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1672W.

Local Councillors (Complaints)

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many complaints against elected members of (a) local authorities and (b) parish councils referred to the Adjudication Panel by the Standards Board have taken longer than 12 months to reach a decision;
	(2)  how many complaints against elected members of  (a) local authorities and  (b) parish councils in each year between 2001 and 2006 are outstanding at the Adjudication Panel after being referred by the Standards Board;
	(3)  in respect of how many  (a) local authorities and  (b) parish councils the Standards Board has not received a complaint against an elected member since 2001;
	(4)  how many complaints were received by the Standards Board against an elected member of a  (a) local authority and  (b) parish council in each year between 2001 and 2006;
	(5)  how many complaints were referred to the Adjudication Panel by the Standards Board against an elected member of a  (a) local authority and  (b) parish council in each year between 2001 and 2006;
	(6)  how many complaints against elected members of  (a) local authorities and  (b) parish councils referred to the Adjudication Panel by the Standards Board were upheld in each year between 2001 and 2006;
	(7)  how many complaints against elected members of  (a) local authorities and  (b) parish councils referred to the Adjudication Panel by the Standards Board concerned the failure to declare a (i) non-financial interest and (ii) personal interest in each year between 2001 and 2006;
	(8)  how many complaints against an elected member of  (a) a local authority and  (b) a parish council in (i) London, (ii) the South East, (iii) the South West, (iv) the Midlands, (v) the North East, (vi) the North West and (vii) Wales have been referred to the Adjudication Panel by the Standards Board since 2001;
	(9)  how many complaints have been received by the Standards Board since 2001;
	(10)  how many complaints have been referred to the Adjudication Panel by the Standards Board since 2001;
	(11)  how many complaints have been upheld by the Adjudication Panel after being referred by the Standards Board since 2001.

Phil Woolas: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Milton Keynes Partnerships

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which senior employees of Milton Keynes Partnerships are not resident within the borough of Milton Keynes.

Yvette Cooper: The location of private residences of employees of the Milton Keynes Partnership are not a matter for Government.

Ministerial Cars

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the estimated annual cost is of his ministerial  (a) car and  (b) driver, including all running costs and depreciation;
	(2)  what the  (a) model and  (b) make is of his ministerial car.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
	Ministerial transport is provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency under guidance set out in Travel by Ministers and the Ministerial Code. Individual Government Departments have contracts with the agency to provide services to their Ministers.
	The Deputy Prime Minister's official car is a diesel Jaguar XJ. Information about the numbers and cost of Government cars by Department is provided on an annual basis. Information for 2005-06 is currently being collated and will be published in due course.

Official Residences

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, North East (Mr. Heald) 27 March 2006,  Official Report, column 832W, on official residences, what the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's expenditure from its entertainment budget was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Ordnance Survey

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps Ordnance Survey is taking to increase the use of its maps and data by the  (a) public and  (b) private sectors.

Angela Smith: Ordnance Survey policy is focused on the collection, maintenance and dissemination of geographic information to ensure that its data is readily available to all who wish to use it. An increasing number of organisations and individuals are using more geographic information than ever before. There has been a steady and continuing growth in the use of Ordnance Survey data in commerce, Government and leisure activities.
	Ordnance Survey has supported the widening use of its maps and data by both central and local government over a number of years through collective purchasing agreements and specialist advice. It continues to work closely with these users to understand and meet their current and future needs for geographic information.
	Ordnance Survey is continually engaging with users of all types to better understand their requirements and enable them to take full advantage of the geographic information it offers. This includes significant and sustained investments in quality, service improvements, and in innovative new or enhanced products and services to meet the increasingly sophisticated requirements of these users. Initiatives such as the 'OS Insight' programme enable Ordnance Survey to consult with geographic information technology providers early to ensure that planned product and service developments are appropriate for end-users. Systems suppliers may use this dialogue to ensure that their systems are also developed so that users can take full advantage of new Ordnance Survey products and services as they are released.
	Through collaboration with private sector commercial partners, Ordnance Survey information is used in a growing range of products and services for business and private use from vehicle tracking to land and property management and from personal navigation products to traditional paper maps.
	Recent Ordnance Survey innovations encouraging greater use of geographic information include:
	A continuing programme to enhance the terrain height and modelling product Land-Form PROFILE Plus to contain very high resolution data of river valleys and other low lying areas, particularly those liable to flooding;
	An enhanced version of OS MasterMap Address Layer (Address Layer2) containing substantial additional addressing information on multi-occupancy properties;
	A new consumer website enabling the public to order an increased range of products containing Ordnance Survey information, produced by both Ordnance Survey itself and its partners;
	The completion of a programme to map onto OS Explorer maps the Open Access areas defined by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, 2000;
	Free distribution of over 700,000 OS Explorer maps to 11-year-olds through their schools in this academic year—the fifth year that Ordnance Survey has offered free maps to school children.

Playing Fields

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will bring forward the changes to the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 announced in her Department's press notice Planning to Safeguard Open Spaces and Playing Fields of July 2002; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Department intends to consult on this and other matters relating to statutory consultees on planning applications next year.

PPG3

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes Planning Policy Statement 3 is introducing in relation to development on  (a) previously residential and  (b) garden land.

Yvette Cooper: Draft Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) published for consultation last year made clear that although residential gardens are defined as brownfield land, this does not mean that they are necessarily suitable for development. It sets out that local authorities should consider a range of factors when determining whether a location is appropriate for development, including the need for housing sustainability, the design and character of the area and the development.

Previously Developed Land

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes were made to the definition of previously developed land in  (a) 2000 and  (b) 2001.

Yvette Cooper: Further to the debates on 6 June 2006,  Official Report, column 115, and 21 June 2006,  Official Report, columns 1392-93, the Land Use Change classification categories have not changed since they were introduced in 1985. The recording of development on previously developed land was based upon urban land use, including residential land, as well as employment, transport and other development uses. Information recorded related to land, permanent structures on it, and associated infrastructure, together with the curtilage of the land.
	Residential gardens have been treated as previously developed land since 1985.
	In 2000, planning policy guidance note 3: "Housing" set out clearly for the first time the land use categories to be treated as previously developed land for planning for housing purposes. As part of this, a number of small anomalies were addressed, so that 'minerals and landfill' and 'defence' were properly included as previously developed land.
	Since 2001 LUCS land use change statistics has reported consistently on this basis. The LUCS figures published in 2001 demonstrate that there was a minor impact on the annual proportion of new dwellings built on previously developed land.

Security of Tenure

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will bring forward proposals to strengthen security of tenure for tenants in private properties where landlords fail to pay mortgage payments and the property is repossessed.

Yvette Cooper: Ground 2 of the Housing Act provides that where a property is let on an assured tenancy and the property is subject to mortgage which was granted before the tenancy started the tenancy can be ended on two weeks' notice where the mortgagee requires vacant possession of the property in order to sell it to cover mortgage arrears. There are no plans to amend this currently.

Social Housing

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidelines her Department has issued to housing renewal pathfinders on the proportion of social housing in regeneration schemes it supports financially; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: My Department has not issued any guidelines to housing market renewal pathfinders on the proportion of social housing in regeneration schemes. However, the pathfinders are expected to assess the need for affordable housing in their areas, taking into account rises in house prices, and to have regard to this information when developing their programmes.

Temporary Accommodation

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many families have been in temporary accommodation in each year since 1979-80.

Yvette Cooper: Information reported each quarter by local authorities about their activities under homelessness legislation includes the number of households in temporary accommodation on the last day of the quarter, available from 1981-82 onwards. Since 2001-02, it separately identifies those that include dependent children or a pregnant woman.
	The duty owed to a person accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need is to secure suitable accommodation. If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority may secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available.
	The total number of households in temporary accommodation (as arranged by local authorities) as at 31 March in each year since 1981-82, and the number of these with dependent children or an expectant mother since 2001-02, are presented in the following table. In January 2005 the Government announced in "Homes for All" its commitment to halve the number of all households in temporary accommodation by 2010.
	
		
			  Households in temporary accommodation( 1)  arranged by local authorities 
			   Households in temporary accommodation at end of year (31 March)  Of which: families with dependent children/pregnant woman 
			 1981-82 9,940 — 
			 1982-83 10,080 — 
			 1983-84 10,980 — 
			 1984-85 14,540 — 
			 1985-86 17,390 — 
			 1986-87 22,060 — 
			 1987-88 26,950 — 
			 1988-89 31,510 — 
			 1989-90 41,150 — 
			 1990-91 50,000 — 
			 1991-92 62,090 — 
			 1992-93 61,380 — 
			 1993-94 52,340 — 
			 1994-95 46,350 — 
			 1995-96 43,240 — 
			 1996-97 41,250 — 
			 1997-98 47,520 — 
			 1998-99 56,580 — 
			 1999-2000 65,170 — 
			 2000-01 75,200 — 
			 2001-02 80,200 54,660 
			 2002-03 89,040 61,510 
			 2003-04 97,680 70,580 
			 2004-05 101,070 72,670 
			 2005-06 96,370 71,560 
			 (1) Households in accommodation arranged by local authorities awaiting allocation of a settled home following acceptance of a main duty or pending a decision on their application.  Source: DCLG P1E Homelessness returns (quarterly)

Thames Gateway Bridge

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects to make a decision on the Thames Gateway bridge.

Meg Munn: Following a public inquiry which ran between June 2005 and May 2006, the Secretary of State is awaiting the report of the inspector who ran the inquiry. Once this has been received, she will consider it, together with the evidence submitted to the inquiry, before making her decision. A decision will be then made as quickly as possible.
	There are also other decisions in connection with the Thames Gateway bridge which fall solely to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport to make.

Water Supply Regulations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will include new regulations on safety to prevent serious scalding by hot water in the forthcoming amendments to building regulation G and other water supply regulations.

Angela Smith: We are currently reviewing our general approach to building regulations so as to ensure they continue to secure the health and safety of building users and deliver wider environmental objectives while not imposing an undue burden on industry or the public. We will be considering revision of Part G of the Regulations in the light of this wider review. We will make a further announcement on timing.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agricultural Shows

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list all the agricultural shows visited by Ministers in 2006.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 7 November 2006
	Ministers visited the following agricultural shows in 2006:
	
		
			   Shows visited  Attended by 
			  2006   
			 14 February Sheep Better Returns Programme (BRP), London Lord Bach 
			
			 5 May Easy Sheep Event, Melton Mowbray Lord Bach 
			
			 8 June Royal Cornwall Show, Cornwall Lord Rooker 
			
			 14 to 15 June Cereals 2006, Lincolnshire Lord Rooker 
			
			 2 to 5 July The Royal Show, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire David Miliband 
			   Ian Pearson 
			   Lord Rooker 
			   Barry Gardiner 
			
			 28 to 30 July CLA Game Fair, Romsey, Hampshire Lord Rooker 
			
			 28 August Keswick Agricultural Show, Cumbria Lord Rooker 
			
			 14 September Westmorland County Show, Cumbria Lord Rooker 
			
			 20 to 21 September Dairy Event, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire Lord Rooker 
			
			 7 October Horse of the Year Show, Birmingham Barry Gardiner

British Waterways

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library the risk assessment carried out by his Department prior to his reductions in funding for the current year of  (a) British Waterways and  (b) the Environment Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Defra is having to operate within a tight financial regime and earlier this year asked its delivery bodies to accept reductions in grant in aid during 2006-07 to help manage a number of pressures. As part of this process, officials engaged with British Waterways and the Environment Agency to discuss the implications of the funding cuts, including risk. Part of the discussions centred on how they might be managed to minimise the impact on key priorities and outcomes.

British Waterways

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the impact of 2006-07 budget reductions to British Waterways; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The Government have received representations from British Waterways as well as a wide range of hon. Members and key stakeholders since announcing the budget reductions for British Waterways (BW) for 2006-07. The representations have taken the form of meetings, correspondence and parliamentary questions.

British Waterways

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the mid-year reduction in funding to British Waterways on the navigability of the Cheshire Ring of canals by boaters; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for British Waterways. However it has advised that it does not anticipate the mid-year reduction in funding to have an impact on the navigability of the Cheshire Ring. The winter maintenance programme for 2006-07 will continue as planned.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many non web-related information technology projects with a value over £500,000 have been awarded by his Department to external consultants since 2001.

Barry Gardiner: Since 2001 the Department has awarded five non web-related information technology projects with a value over £500,000 to external consultants.
	This information refers to core Defra and projects that are recorded as being significant or mission critical only. Providing information for projects outside of this criteria would incur disproportionate costs.

Departmental Staff

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants have been recruited by the Department in  (a) the last year and  (b) the last six months.

Barry Gardiner: DEFRA recruited 367 new civil servants on permanent contracts in the last 12 months. During that same period, 579 staff left the Department.
	For the period 1 April to 30 September 2006, the number of new civil servants on permanent contracts recruited to DEFRA was 158 while 275 left the Department.

Departmental Staff

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants have been recruited by the Department's London offices in  (a) the last year and  (b) the last six months.

Barry Gardiner: DEFRA recruited 122 new civil servants on permanent contracts to locations in London in the last 12 months. During that same period 221 London-based staff left the Department.
	For the period 1 April to 30 September 2006, the number of new civil servants recruited on permanent DEFRA contracts and posted in London was 61 while 101 left the Department during this period.

Energy Policy

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research he has commissioned into incorporating  (a) wave,  (b) solar,  (c) geo-thermal and  (d) hydro-electric energy into the national energy generation system.

Malcolm Wicks: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Executive Agencies

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by what  (a) percentage and  (b) total amount his Department has required that the (i) Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales, (ii) Agricultural Wages Committee (England), (iii) British Potato Council, (iv) British Waterways, (v) British Wool Marketing Board, (vi) Broads Authority, (vii) Central Science Laboratory, (viii) Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, (ix) Consumer Council for Water, (x) Countryside Agency, (xi) Covent Garden Market Authority, (xii) Natural England, (xiii) Environment Agency, (xiv) Food for Britain, (xv) Gangmasters Licensing Authority, (xvi) Government Decontamination Service, (xvii) Home-Grown Cereals Authority, (xviii) Horticultural Development Council, (xix) Marine Fisheries Agency, (xx) Meat and Livestock Commission, (xxi) Milk Development Council, (xxii) National Forest Company, (xxiii) Pesticides Safety Directorate, (xxiv) Regional Flood Defence Committees, (xxv) Review of Funding Mechanisms for Flood and Coastal Defence, (xxvi) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, (xxvii) Rural Payments Agency, (xxviii) Sea Fish Industry Authority, (xxix) State Veterinary Service, (xxx) Sustainable Development Commission, (xxxi) UK Biodiversity Group, (xxxii) Veterinary Laboratories Agency and (xxxiii) Veterinary Medicines Directorate reduce its budget for 2006-07 from the level planned at the beginning of the financial year; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: pursuant to the reply, 24 October 2006, c. 1723W
	My answer contained the statement,
	"(viii) Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science—£900,000 (3 per cent.) reduction."
	This was incorrect and should have read
	"(viii) Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science—£1.0 million (3 per cent.) increase".
	The rest of the answer remains correct and is detailed in full as follows.
	As a result of the recent review, the following changes (in value and percentage) from the levels planned at the beginning of the year have been made to the resource budgets for 2006-07 of the bodies listed:
	(i) Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales—£Nil
	(ii) Agricultural Wages Committee (England)—£Nil
	(iii) British Potato Council—£Nil
	(iv) British Waterways—£3.934 million (7 per cent.) reduction
	(v) British Wool Marketing Board—£Nil
	(vi) Broads Authority—£Nil
	(vii) Central Science Laboratory—£Nil
	(viii) Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science—£1.0 million (3 per cent.) increase
	(ix) Consumer Council for Water—£Nil
	(x) Countryside Agency—include within Natural England (xii) as follows
	(xi) Covent Garden Market Authority—£Nil
	(xii) Natural England—£12.9 million (7 per cent.) reduction
	(xiii) Environment Agency—£23.7 million (5 per cent.) reduction
	(xiv) Food From Britain—£403,000 (8 per cent.) reduction
	(xv) Gangmasters Licensing Authority—£Nil
	(xvi) Government Decontamination Service—£Nil
	(xvii) Home-Grown Cereals Authority—£Nil
	(xviii) Horticultural Development Council—£Nil
	(xix) Marine Fisheries Agency—£1.722 million (6 per cent.) reduction
	(xx) Meat and Livestock Commission—£15,000 (4 per cent.) reduction
	(xxi) Milk Development Council—£Nil
	(xxii) National Forest Company—£300,000 (8 per cent.) reduction
	(xxiii) Pesticides Safety Directorate—£839,000 (7 per cent.) reduction
	(xxiv) Regional Flood Defence Committees—£Nil
	(xxv) Review of Funding Mechanisms for Flood and Coastal Defence—£Nil
	(xxvi) Royal Botanic Gardens Kew—£600,000 (3 per cent.) reduction
	(xxvii) Rural Payments Agency—£23.0 million (11 per cent.) increase
	(xxviii) Sea Fish Industry Authority—£Nil
	(xxix) State Veterinary Service—£3.0 million (3 per cent.) reduction
	(xxx) Sustainable Development Commission—£Nil
	(xxxi) UK Biodiversity Group—£Nil
	(xxxii) Veterinary Laboratories Agency—£2.4 million (3 per cent.) reduction
	(xxxiii) Veterinary Medicines Directorate—£283,000 (7 per cent.) reduction

Farm Subsidies

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to his Department was of administering the single farm payment scheme in 2005-06.

Barry Gardiner: The allocation of direct costs incurred in 2005-06 by the Rural Payments Agency in administering the single payments scheme were £61.7 million. This includes the costs of scheme processing, registering land and inspections, but excludes apportioned overheads.

Farm Subsidies

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many 2005 single farm payments have been made for an amount smaller than the cost of administering a single farm payment claim; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The cost of administering a single farm payment claim is not available.
	The allocation of direct costs incurred in 2005-06 by the Rural Payments Agency in administering the single payments scheme were £61.7 million. This includes the costs of scheme processing, registering land and inspections, but excludes apportioned overheads.
	SPS 2005 claim processing continues in 2006-07.

Fisheries

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many registered fishermen there are in the UK fishing industry; and how many are in the  (a) over 10 metre and  (b) under 10 metre sectors.

Ben Bradshaw: In 2005, there were 12,647 regular and part-time fishermen in the UK fishing industry. A breakdown of numbers fishing in the over 10 metre and 10 metre and under sectors is not available.

Fisheries

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences have been issued to new applicants in the under 10 metre fishing sector since 1 January 2000; and how many of them were previously licensees in the over 10 metre sector.

Ben Bradshaw: Information to answer the question is not readily available and could be produced only at a disproportionate cost. While fishing vessel licences themselves carry unique identifying numbers, the individual owners recorded on the system against each licence are not themselves uniquely identified. The information on owners is recorded in a single field which can be a mix of names of companies and individuals, of Christian names and surnames, and of initials and full names. There are also frequently several owners associated with each licence. Fishermen also often register vessels and licences against different members of their family. All of these differences can be seen and the applications themselves can be perfectly valid, with each application being checked in its own right before a fishing vessel licence is issued. However, these factors together make it very difficult to work out the full extent of the licences held by any given individual at any one time (and thus make it difficult to accurately identify new individuals entering fishing). Given the period covered in the question, these factors would make producing the information requested an exercise requiring a significant level of resources, and hence the costs would exceed the limit set out in Cabinet Office guidance for answering parliamentary questions.

Fisheries

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many owners of fishing vessels sold their quota and licences in the over 10 metre sector in the period since 1 January 2000; and how many of them have acquired licences in the under 10 metre sector.

Ben Bradshaw: Information to answer the question is not readily available and could be produced only at a disproportionate cost. Central data systems record all changes in fishing quota and vessel licence ownership that take place, with individual transfers being checked and validated as part of the process of controlling fishing activity. Details are not recorded of whether these changes are linked to actual sales or if they are happening as a result of other arrangements, for example, swaps agreed between owners as part of a bilateral agreement of some kind. As such an answer to the question cannot be provided.
	In addition, ownership of fishing quota is linked to the ownership of the fishing vessel licence the quota is associated with. Such ownership data is only recorded in a single field which can be a mix of names of companies and individuals, of Christian names and surnames, and of full names and initials. There are also frequently several owners associated with each licence. Fishermen also often register vessels and licences against different members of their family. All of these differences can be seen for valid reasons, with the ownership details themselves being perfectly valid. However, these factors together make it very difficult to work out the full extent of the quota owned by any given individual at any one time. Given the period covered in the question, these factors would make producing any estimate of the information requested an exercise requiring a significant level of resources, and hence the costs would exceed the limit set out in Cabinet Office guidance for answering parliamentary questions.

Foot and Mouth

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress he is making on plans for the vaccination of stock in the event of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom.

Ben Bradshaw: In the event of an outbreak, emergency vaccination will immediately be considered as a disease control measure for foot and mouth disease (FMD). Any decision to adopt an emergency vaccination strategy against FMD will be based upon epidemiological, logistical and other factors.
	An Expert Group has been set up to advise the Government on FMD preparedness, including vaccination. We have established a vaccine bank which could be used to protect against various strains, the composition of which is reviewed regularly by the Expert Group. We have also put a contract in place to ensure we could carry out vaccination should it be needed. Finally, we have worked with consumers and retailers to stress the message that products from animals vaccinated against FMD would not have any implications for food safety.
	Further information is set out in the Government's Exotic Animal Disease Generic Contingency Plan which is available on the Defra website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/contingency/index.htm.

Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans he has to assist poultry farmers with the implementation of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control charges;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the annual income of the Environment Agency from fees earned from regulating the integrated pollution prevention and control regulations.

Ben Bradshaw: Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control permit application charges and annual fees are set to cover the Environment Agency's regulatory costs in that regard (some £33 million in 20060-07) and are based on the Environment Agency's environmental protection operator and pollution risk appraisal scheme. This scheme has been designed to reflect the actual environmental risk posed by the nature, performance, location and management of each installation. In calculating the operator's charges, the scheme takes into account the installation's complexity, emissions performance, inherent potential to pollute, location, and the standards of management, control and compliance achieved by the operator.
	Intensive poultry rearing installations will be charged £3,331 for a permit application and then annual charges of £2,229 for a small installation and £2,794 for a large one. On 19 May, the industry accepted an offer from the Environment Agency, conditional upon a reasonably even flow of applications, whereby a subsistence charge of £1,471 for an existing small farm and £1,844 for an existing large farm will be charged to industry from August 2007 until March 2008. This represents a saving to industry.
	My noble friend the Lord Rooker met representatives of the industry recently and assured them that he would look again at what might be able to be done to reduce the costs of these regulatory requirements.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which information technology projects are being undertaken by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies; what the (i) start date, (ii) original planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) originally planned costs and (v) estimated costs are of each; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The following table presents the requested information for projects within core DEFRA that are classified in the IT Portfolio as Mission Critical or Significant.
	A response covering lower level projects within core DEFRA and bodies beyond the core Department would incur a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Project  Start date  Original planned completion date  Expected completion date  Original planned cost  Estimated cost 
			 e-Domero Imports May 2006 April 2007 June 2007 1,006,000 1,006,000 
			 Enhancement to single Sign on Government Gateway May 2006 July 2007 July 2007 150,000 150,000 
			 e-Seeds and Plants May 2002 August 2003 January 2007 530,000 1,330,000 
			 EU/UN Emissions Trading Register January 2004 April 2007 April 2007 3,293,000 3,811,527 
			 Licence Workflow Application System July 2005 December 2006 December 2006 1,357,535 1,373,665 
			 National Equine Database June 2004 May 2005 December 2006 568,000 1,570,000 
			 National Scrapie Plan Ancillary Systems Onboarding May 2006 December 2006 December 2006 226,984 244,202 
			 New Corporate Directory June 2006 March 2007 March 2007 500,000 500,000 
			 Noise Mapping July 2004 April 2007 May 2007 7,600,000 4,300,000 
			 Office Systems Pilots April 2006 March 2007 March 2007 1,900,000 1,900,000 
			 Poultry Register October 2005 December 2005 FY 2007-08 8,600,000 10,000,000 
			 Rapid Analysis and Detection of Animal-related Risk April 2003 August 2007 March 2009 13,175,000 12,228,000 
			 Rural Development Programme for England—Paying Agency April 2006 January 2007 November 2007 4,400,000 3,100,000 
			 Shared Services June 2005 March 2010 March 2007 32,900,000 18,700,000 
			 Spatial Information Repository March 2005 March 2007 June 2008 13,800,000 10,600,000 
			 Strategic Customer Information Management System March 2006 March 2008 March 2008 1,450,000 1,450,000 
			 Waste Data Strategy November 2003 June 2007 June 2007 372,500,000 2,500,000 
			 Whole Farm Approach April 2003 March 2010 March 2010 38,594,000 52,565,000

IT Projects

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's five most expensive  (a) web and  (b) non-web information technology projects have been since 2001.

Barry Gardiner: The following two tables show the Department's five most expensive  (a) web and  (b) non-web information technology projects since 2001. There is however a focus on projects which were either in existence when, or started since, Defra formed a strategic partnership with IBM as providers of IT services. Prior to this, Defra's IT delivery was decentralised and we would incur disproportionate costs if we were to try to gather this information from the many business units involved.
	
		
			  Table 1: web information technology projects 
			  Project  Start date  Original planned completion date  Expected completion date  Original planned costs (£)  Latest estimated planned costs (£) 
			  Whole Farm Approach April 2003 March 2010 March 2010 38,594,000 52,565,000 
			 Spatial Information Repository March 2005 March 2007 June 2008 13,800,000 10,600,000 
			 Poultry Register October 2005 December 2005 2007-08(1) 8,600,000 10,000,000 
			 EN / UN Emissions Trading Register January 2004 April 2007 April 2007 3,293,000 3,811,527 
			 E-Domero core May 2002 March 2005 — 1,725,000 2,800,000 
			 (1) Financial year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: non-web information technology projects 
			  Project  Start Date  Original planned completion date  Expected completion date  Original planned costs (£)  Latest estimated planned costs (£) 
			  Livestock Data Programme July 2001 July 2006 (1)— 138,000,000 138,000,000 
			 E-nabling Defra January 2002 June 2004 June 2004 21,500,000 23,750,000 
			 Shared Services June 2005 March 2010 March 2007 32,900,000 18,700,000 
			 Catalyst May 2002 March 2006 (2)— 14,700,000 12,642,000 
			 Rapid Analysis and Detection of Animal-related Risk April 2003 August 2007 March 2009 13,175,000 12,228,000 
			 (1) Paused. (2) Cancelled.  Notes: 1. The e-nabling Defra contract commenced on 1 October 2004 and saw IBM and Defra form a strategic partnership for delivery of the Department's IT requirements. 2. The view on web/non-web is provided to the best of our knowledge within the time available. 3. We have used the term project and programme interchangeably for the purposes of this response.

IT Projects

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of information technology projects undertaken by or for his Department since 2001 have been delivered  (a) over budget,  (b) after their original deadline,  (c) on budget,  (d) under budget,  (e) on their original deadline and  (f) ahead of their original deadline.

Barry Gardiner: Of the information technology projects undertaken by the Department since 2001 the following number (percentage) of projects have been delivered:
	
		
			Number  Percentage 
			  (a) Over budget 12 40 
			  (b) After original deadline 13 43 
			  (c) On budget 12 40 
			  (d) Under budget 6 20 
			  (e) On original deadline 14 47 
			  (f) Ahead of their original deadline 3 10 
			  Note: This information refers to core-Defra and projects that are recorded as being significant or mission critical only. Providing information for projects outside of this criteria would incur disproportionate costs.

IT Projects

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many information technology projects his Department has undertaken in each year since 2001; and how many of those projects were web-related.

Barry Gardiner: The following table shows how many information technology projects the Department has undertaken in each year since 2001; and how many of those projects were web-related:
	
		
			   Number of projects undertaken  Number of which are web-related 
			 2001 5 1 
			 2002 5 2 
			 2003 3 1 
			 2004 5 3 
			 2005 4 2 
			 2006 8 2 
			  Note: This information refers to core-Defra and projects that are recorded as being significant or mission critical only. Providing information for projects outside of this criteria would incur disproportionate costs.

IT Projects

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on information technology consultants in each year since 2001; and how many of those consultants worked on web-facing projects.

Barry Gardiner: This response refers to core Defra only.
	In the periods listed the Department spent the following sums on information technology consultants that were engaged in an advisory capacity:
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			 2004-05 5,168,038 
			 2005-06 2,970,011 
			 2006-07 (1)1,519,492 
			 (1) To date. 
		
	
	It is not possible to state how many of these consultants worked on web-facing projects without incurring disproportionate costs, as this level of information is not held centrally.

IT Projects

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on  (a) information technology projects and  (b) web-facing information technology projects in each year since 2001.

Barry Gardiner: During the financial year 2006-07, the Department has spent £28.6 million on  (a) information technology projects and of that, approximately £11.9 million on  (b) web-facing information technology projects.
	Information prior to this is not currently available and would incur disproportionate costs to do so.

Natural England

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the  (a) contracts and  (b) service level agreements Natural England has inherited from English Nature with environmental organisations; and what the (i) length and (ii) value is of each contract.

Barry Gardiner: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Nirex

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his Answer to Question 98106, for what reasons he is not undertaking a public consultation on his proposals to merge Nirex into the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency.

Ian Pearson: There has been an extensive process of consultation by CoRWM on the future management of radioactive waste, involving the public and stakeholders. Further consultation is planned next year on the site selection process.
	The NDA was given the powers for disposal of radioactive waste under the Energy Act 2004 and this followed public consultation and Parliamentary debate. The proposal to augment NDA's capabilities by incorporation of skills and technology from United Kingdom Nirex Ltd followed careful consideration in the light of views from Nirex, the NDA and others.
	The Government believes that the arrangements set out in the Secretary of State's statement to Parliament on 25 October 2006, Official Report: Column 1519 represent the most positive way forward in ensuring that CoRWM's recommendations taken forward in a timely and effective way, to the public benefit.

Single Farm Payments

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will introduce a de minimis rule in relation to  (a) claims made under the single farm payment schemes and  (b) Government clawback of amounts paid; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 31 October 2006
	Under the EU regulation governing the Single Payment Scheme, the Rural Payments Agency already makes use, in appropriate circumstances, of a provision allowing member states not to recover amounts of €100 or less. The same regulation also allows member states to set a minimum payment level of €100 and we are considering whether to do so in England.

Single Farm Payments

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the merits of capping payments to recipients under single farm payments; and if he will reconsider setting a minimum level to reduce the number of payments.

Barry Gardiner: Under EU regulation governing the Single Payment Scheme, member states are allowed to set a minimum payment level of €100. We are considering whether to do so in England. There is no such provision in relation to the 'capping' of payments and any such proposal would be opposed as being, among other things, distorting and administratively burdensome.

Single Farm Payments

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many single Payment Scheme applicants in 2005 have  (a) received no money and  (b) not received their second instalment; how many of those applicants who have received no money (i) are awaiting probate, (ii) are involved in changes of land area and (iii) have received no money for other reasons; and how many who have not received their second instalment (A) have disputed maps and (B) are believed to have been overpaid in their first instalment.

Barry Gardiner: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) There are 116,661 claims currently eligible for a payment. 115,000 have received a full, or partial payment, leaving 1,661 that have received no payment to date.
	 (b) 4,756 partial payments are outstanding to be netted against the full payment.
	The breakdown of how many customers are in each of the requested categories is not readily available. The RPA are currently working to obtain the information and I will write further once it becomes available.

Single Farm Payments

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many single payment scheme applicants in 2005 are believed to have been  (a) overpaid and  (b) underpaid; and how many of these applicants who have not been paid their second instalment had total claims of (i) less than £1,000, (ii) £1,000 to £4,999, (iii) £5,000 to £19,999, (iv) £20,000 to £50,000 and (v) over £50,000.

Barry Gardiner: The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) and (b) Current analysis of claims paid and the correction of claims is currently on-going. Until this review is complete we cannot state how many applicants have been overpaid and underpaid.
	The information requested on the breakdown by value of partially paid claims is not readily available but I will respond further as soon as possible.

Single Farm Payments

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of farm income was derived from the single farm payment scheme in (a) the Wantage constituency, (b) Oxfordshire and (c) the South East in each year since 1997.

Barry Gardiner: It is not possible to calculate the proportion of farm income derived from the 2005 Single Payment Scheme as a statistical analysis by region is not yet available. This information will be published in due course.
	The average net farm income since 1997 for Oxfordshire and the South East is shown in the table below. We are unable to supply data for the Wantage constituency due to insufficient farms in the sample.
	The fall in incomes for 1998/99 coincides with a drop in commodity prices, particularly those for cereals. Cereals are a key commodity in Oxfordshire and the South East. It should also be noted that farm income data based on small sample numbers (as they are at county level) can be subject to a greater degree of volatility and that net farm income itself is a volatile measure of farm income.
	
		
			  Average net farm income (NFI) in Oxfordshire and the South East, 1997-98 to 2005-06 (£per farm) 
			  Net Farm Income 
			   Oxfordshire  South East 
			 1997-98 £31,100 £16,300 
			 1998-99 £2,300 £6,400 
			 1999-2000 £6,400 £5,300 
			 2000-01 £4,900 £4,200 
			 2001-02 £4,600 £6,400 
			 2002-03 £10,300 £9,000 
			 2003-04 £21,300 £20,600 
			 2004-05 £17,700 £15,200 
			 2005-06 £15,600 £18,000 
			  Source:  Farm Business Survey Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouce for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type capital invested in the business. For a more detailed explanation of Net Farm Income please refer to the following publication:  http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/publications/fab/2005

Treasury Accounting Rules

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his Department was first informed of the changes in Treasury accounting rules noted by the Minister for Sustainable Farming and Food and Farming on Farming Today on 25 October; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The need for departments to control near-cash and non-cash totals was highlighted in the Spending Review 2004 guidance issued to Departments by Treasury in December 2003. Further detailed budgeting guidance was issued in December 2005.

Tuberculosis Research

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of staff redundancies at the Wildlife Unit at Stroud, Gloucestershire, on his Department's tuberculosis research projects.

Ben Bradshaw: The Wildlife Unit previously worked on the Randomised Badger Culling Trial, which ran from 1998 until earlier this year. There has been no field work carried out since April 2006, and data recording and checking was completed by the end of September 2006. The Wildlife Unit has no role in any other departmental tuberculosis research project, and therefore, the redundancies will not have an effect on any such projects.

Veterinary Products Committee

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the remit is of the  (a) Veterinary Products Committee and  (b) Medical and Scientific Board; and to whom each answers.

Ben Bradshaw: The Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) is the Government's independent Scientific Advisory Committee on Veterinary Medicines. Its terms of reference are:
	"The Veterinary Products Committee is a statutory committee established to:
	i) provide the Secretary of State with scientific(1) advice on any aspect of veterinary medicinal products and specified feed additives;
	ii) hear representations on decisions relating to the granting, refusal, variation, suspension or revocation of a Marketing Authorisation for a veterinary medicinal product;
	iii) promote the collection of information relating to suspected adverse reactions for the purpose of enabling the advice at i) above to be given.
	Each year the Veterinary Products Committee will publish a report of its activities and those of its Sub-Committees.
	(1) Scientific advice means all aspects, including risk/benefit analysis, of the safety, quality and efficacy of a veterinary medicinal product apart from regulatory issues."
	The VPC advises the Veterinary Medicines Directorate which acts as the Licensing Authority for veterinary medicines on behalf of the Secretary of State. Its main role is to deal with cases when the VMD has provisionally concluded that an application for a Marketing Authorisation (MA), a Provisional MA, a variation or a renewal of an MA, or an Animal Test Certificate should be refused, or granted other than in accordance with the application. The latest VPC report is available at www.vpc.gov.uk
	The Medical and Scientific Panel (MSP) is a sub-group of the VPC. It was established in 1994 to provide advice to the VPC on human health aspects of organophosphorus (OP) sheep dips. Its terms of reference are to:
	evaluate research currently available, and in progress, on OP sheep dip products in relation to possible human exposure,
	advise on any additional work that may be needed to elucidate the potential long-term effects on humans of OP sheep dip,
	advise on the suitability of any projects submitted for research, and
	report its findings to the Veterinary Products Committee, as its sub-committee.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Animals (Inhumane Killings)

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were  (a) charged with and  (b) convicted of inhumanely killing (i) greyhounds and (ii) other animals in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Assisted Areas Status Map

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account was taken of  (a) employment rates,  (b) the number of incapacity benefit claimants,  (c) Level 2 skill rates and  (d) numbers employed in manufacturing in the determination of the draft assisted area status map; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

British Sugar

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information British Sugar has provided to his Department about  (a) the number of proposed redundancies and  (b) the length of service and age structure of the workforce at its York sugar factory.

Margaret Hodge: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Casinos

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials have held meetings in the last 12 months with casino operators interested in securing licences under the Gambling Act 2005; where each meeting took place; and what was discussed.

Ian McCartney: To UK Trade and Investment's knowledge, no DTI Ministers or officials held meetings with casino operators between July 2005 and July 2006. However, FCO officials, including the Consul General in Los Angeles, met representatives of two casino operators in three meetings in the course of 2005-06 to discuss investment opportunities in the UK.

Coal Industry

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the Scottish Executive on making resources available to develop the blending of coal and biomass in the coal industry.

Malcolm Wicks: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Cuba (Vaccine Projects)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to visit Cuba to view their vaccine projects.

Margaret Hodge: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has no plans to visit Cuba.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Information on overnight accommodation broken down as requested is not available and could be made available only at disproportionate cost. However, the following table shows the total expenditure on hotel accommodation for core DTI split between the UK and overseas in the last two years.
	
		
			   Expenditure on overnight accommodation (£000) 
			  Financial years  UK hotels  Hotels overseas 
			 2004-05 345 340 
			 2005-06 476 469 
		
	
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Libraries of the House. Information for the financial year 2006-07 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.
	All travel is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers and the Civil Service Management Code.

Departmental Expenditure

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the expenditure by his Department has been on the promotion of design in each of the past nine years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many non-web related information technology projects with a value over £500,000 have been awarded by his Department to external consultants since 2001.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental Publications

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the  (a) circulation,  (b) cost and  (c) title is of each publication his Department has issued since 1 July 2005.

Jim Fitzpatrick: A list of the 1,685 items published between 1 July 2005 and 31 August 2006 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	The cost of producing these publications totalled £4,365,833.
	DTI publications currently available and notified centrally to my publications team are listed on the DTI Reports and Publications website at:
	www.dti.gov.uk/publications.
	DTI publications can either be ordered or downloaded via the website, or ordered from the DTI publications orderline. Information on circulation could be gathered only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total workforce they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Electromagnetic Relativity Drive Design

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding his Department has provided to the electromagnetic relativity drive design proposed by Roger Shawyer; and from what departmental budget funding has been drawn.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 30 October 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Employment Agencies

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employment agencies have been prosecuted in the last 12 months for breaches of the  (a) Employment Agencies Act 1973 and  (b) Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations 2003; and for what offences they were prosecuted.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Farepak

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards helping people affected by the collapse of Farepak.

Ian McCartney: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon (Anne Snelgrove) today.

Farepak

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with retailers on compensation for Farepak customers.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 6 November 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for South Swindon (Anne Snelgrove) today.

Farepak

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the average loss to customers and agents of Farepak.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 2 November 2006
	In a statement issued by the administrators on 16 October 2006, the administrator said:
	"We estimate that there are in excess of 25,000 agents servicing over 100,000 customers. Whilst the company can identify all of its agents, the company cannot determine exact customer numbers. The company deals with its customers via its agents and therefore not all customer details are recorded in the company database. In many cases the customer information is retained by agents."

Farepak

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration he has given to providing compensation for Farepak customers.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 2 November 2006
	I have great sympathy with those who have lost money as a result of the collapse of Farepak. But I am not aware of any circumstances which would make it appropriate for the Government to offer any form of compensation.
	However, it is the duty of the administrators (BDO Stoy Hayward) to recover as much as possible for the benefit of the creditors of Farepak. It is too soon to say how they may be able to return to the company's many customers, although the sums are expected to be very small.
	I announced on 7 November that the Farepak Response Fund is being set up to take donations towards a goodwill gesture.

Farepak

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what measures are in place to provide compensation for unsecured creditors of Christmas clubs and hamper companies;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures to protect savers with hamper companies and Christmas clubs from fraud; and whether he has any plans to introduce new measures.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 2 November 2006
	If my hon. Friend has any evidence of fraud in relation to the collapse of Farepak, she should make it available to the administrators, BDO Stoy Hayward. More generally, I am meeting the Chief Executive of the Office of Fair Trading to ask the OFT to reassess the regulatory framework which applies to Christmas club companies such as Farepak, and whether changes are needed in that framework.

Farepak

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to the Farepak scheme administrator to ensure debts are paid to customers before other creditors.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 2 November 2006
	I have made no such representations and have no plans to do so. If payments are made within an insolvency procedure there is a statutory order of priority which an insolvency office holder must follow.
	I have great sympathy with the people who have saved up for Christmas with the Farepak scheme and have been so badly let down by the company.
	I have been working with the British Retail Consortium and others to see if there is a possibility of a goodwill gesture before Christmas.
	The Administrators BDO Stoy Hayward have been appointed by the High Court and must distribute funds as laid down in insolvency law.

Farepak

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has had on the collapse of Farepak; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 2 November 2006
	I have great sympathy with those people who have lost money they saved over the year as a result of the collapse of Farepak and feel badly let down.
	I contacted the administrators and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to assess the level of the problem caused by the company going into administration, and to seek a way forward. I subsequently met them on 21 October. The BRC expressed its willingness to consider the idea of its making a goodwill gesture, given the exceptional circumstances. However its subsequently came to the view that there were serious practical difficulties in the way of its organizing a workable and timely form of assistance. It is not therefore pursuing its own proposals. But the consortium and individual retailers have indicated their willingness to support any workable alternative means of delivering assistance which can be mobilised in time.
	I have therefore secured the assistance of the Family Fund, a long-established charity with extensive experience of delivering assistance to low-income families, largely through vouchers. The Family Fund, working closely with the administrators, has set up a dedicated voucher fund, called the Farepak Response Fund. This will be independent of all agencies and will accept donations from all sectors—Tesco has already pledged support of £250,000. The setting up of this Fund overcomes the practical problems earlier encountered and opens the way for the many retail and other organizations, and individuals, who have indicated their wish to help, to do so in a practical timely and effective way. I hope it will be widely supported.
	I am also meeting the Chief Executive of the Office of Fair Trading, to ask the OFT to reassess the regulatory framework which applies to Christmas club companies such as Farepak, and whether changes are needed in that framework. I am also meeting the Hamper Industry Trade Association.

Farepak

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to include the activities of firms such as Farepak within the definition of licensed deposit-takers.

Ian McCartney: I refer the right hon. hon. Member to the reply given on 6 November 2006,  Official Report, column 751W to my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (John Battle).

Farepak

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the administrator of European Home Retail, PricewaterhouseCooper, on Farepak.

Ian McCartney: I have had no discussions with the administrators of European Home Retail.
	As I said in the House on 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 206WH. I will keep hon. Members informed of development as the Farepak situation evolves.

Farepak

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to protect customers of saving schemes in the event that the company goes into liquidation and is unable to fulfil its financial obligations.

Ian McCartney: I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply given to the right hon. Member for Leeds, West (John Battle) on 6 November,  Official Report, column 751W.

Farepak

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome was of the meeting between his Department, the British Retail Consortium and the administrators of Farepak on 21 October 2006.

Ian McCartney: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my right hon. Friend the right hon. Member for South Swindon (Anne Snelgrove) today.

Government Social Research Service

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of the Government Social Research Service in his Department in each of the last five years; how many projects have been completed by the service in that period; and how many people are employed in the service in his Department.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Industrial Strategy (West Midlands)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to review the Government's industrial strategy for the West Midlands.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 26 October 2006
	I refer my hon. Friend to the previous answer I gave on 26 June 2006,  Official Report, columns 73-74. We are taking action through the Government Manufacturing C6 Strategy to support companies in all parts of the UK succeed and respond to the challenge of globalisation; we have no plans at present to conduct a formal review of its effect on the West Midlands.
	The Manufacturing Strategy has had a number of successes such as the Manufacturing Advisory Service which has helped companies to generate added value of over £224 million, including over £21 million in the West Midlands and the R&D tax credit which has provided support of £977 million to SMEs. The joint industry and Government-led Manufacturing Forum, which includes regional representation, continues to ensure the effective implementation and evolution of the Strategy and helped to develop the NationalSkills Manufacturing Academy for manufacturing announced by The Secretary of State for Education and Skills on 31 October which will initially launch in the North East and West Midlands.
	I have visited the West Midlands and held a number of discussions with my hon. Friend and other West Midlands MPs so that we constantly ensure our policies and programmes support our economic and industrial strategy for the West Midlands.

Marketing Sector

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual turnover of the British marketing sector was in each year between 1990 and 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The available turnover data for the UK marketing sector are given in the following table as defined by the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2003). Data are only available at the UK level and are not available before 1995. Marketing has been defined as 'market research and public opinion polling' and 'advertising.'
	
		
			   billion 
			   Market Research and public opinion polling (SIC 74.13)  Advertising  (SIC 74.4)  Total( 1 ) (SICs 74. 1 3 and 74.4) 
			 1995 1.3 12.9 14.2 
			 1996 1.3 13.7 15.0 
			 1997 1.8 15.4 17.2 
			 1998 1.8 16.0 17.8 
			 1999 1.7 17.8 19.5 
			 2000 1.9 19.3 21.2 
			 2001 2.1 18.3 20.4 
			 2002 2.3 18.0 20.4 
			 2003 2.2 17.9 20.1 
			 2004 2.3 17.9 20.1 
			 (1) Totals may not equal the sum of the components due to rounding.   Source: Annual Business Inquiry, Office for National Statistics

NIMR

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library a copy of the Office of Science and Innovation's response to the Medical Research Council's draft business case for the future of the National Institute for Medical Research; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Ofcom

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans Ofcom has for a system of licensing access to the radio spectrum for the programme making and special events industry; what assessment he has made of the impact of the digital switchover on the UK entertainment industry; what steps he is taking to ensure that the programme making and special events industry sector operating during the 2012 Olympics major events and medical facilities will not be adversely affected by the digital switchover; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Office of Communications (Ofcom), the independent regulator of communications is responsible for managing civil radio spectrum in the UK including the allocation and licensing of frequency bands used by the programme making and special events industry.
	As part of its Digital Dividend Review, Ofcom is developing proposals with a view to publishing a consultation paper before the end of this year. In taking forward this process, the regulator will take into account the particular needs and structure of the programme making and special events industry.
	DTI officials are working with Ofcom to ensure that sufficient and suitable spectrum is available to meet essential requirements of users, including the programme making and special events industry during the 2012 Olympics

Ofcom

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many decisions by the Office of Communications were appealed to the Competition Appeals Tribunal in  (a) 2003,  (b) 2004,  (c) 2005 and  (d) 2006 to date;
	(2)  how much the Office of Communications spent in legal fees contesting appeals made against its decisions to the Competition Appeals Tribunal in  (a) 2003,  (b) 2004 and  (c) 2005; and how much has been spent in 2006;
	(3)  how much the Office of Communications spent in legal fees in  (a) 2003,  (b) 2004 and  (c) 2005; and how much it has spent in 2006;
	(4)  in how many cases the competition appeals tribunal ruled against decisions of Ofcom and in favour of the complainant in  (a) 2003,  (b) 2004 and  (c) 2005; and in how many cases it has done so in 2006.

Margaret Hodge: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Office of Science and Technology

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding the Office of Science and Technology has provided for research projects by organisations in  (a) the London borough of Bexley and  (b) Greater London in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Olympic Games

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the preparedness of the British marketing sector to market the 2012 Olympics; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Department has made no such assessment. The 2012 Olympic Games will bring significant opportunities for all types of business in all regions of the UK and I know there has been close co-operation between the organisers of the games and the advertising and marketing sector. Along with others, the British marketing sector will have a part to play in ensuring that businesses make the best possible use of these opportunities while of course respecting legislation governing the use of all games related brands and marks.

Olympic Games

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will meet the Chartered Institute of Marketing to discuss strategies for marketing the 2012 Olympic Games.

Margaret Hodge: If the Chartered Institute of Marketing wishes to write to me about the 2012 Olympic Games, I will endeavour to put them in touch with officials of the relevant Government Departments and agencies which are working on preparations for the event.

Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints about excessive packaging Trading Standards Departments have treated as coming under the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003; and what action was taken in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 state that packaging volume and weight must be the minimum amount to maintain necessary levels of safety, hygiene and acceptance for the packed product and for the consumer. The regulations are enforced by local Trading Standards Officers who work closely with the packaging industry and producers to advise them on best practice in packaging design and to resolve complaints of excessive packaging.
	No figures are held centrally on the numbers of complaints that individual Trading Standards Officers have received. One company was fined 600, another 250, a third 2,000 and the most recent (in May this year) a total of 3,000. However four successful prosecutions have been brought under these regulations to date.

Parliamentary Questions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will answer question No. 72331 tabled on 17 May 2006; and what his Department's policy is on the timetable for answering of parliamentary questions.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Parliamentary Questions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will answer question No. 66614 tabled by me on 25 April 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Post Office

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub-post offices there were in each constituency in  (a) 1999 and  (b) 2005, listed in descending order of the change in the number of sub-post offices between the two dates.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 6 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Post Office

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which bank accounts can be used at post offices to receive direct payments; and whether he plans to extend the scheme.

Jim Fitzpatrick: All the banks (including the Scottish banks) have at least a basic bank account that can be accessed at post offices. The following banks allow their customers to access current accounts at post offices; Lloyds TSB, Barclays, Alliance and Leicester, Co-op, Bank of Ireland, Clydesdale and Nationwide building society.
	Extending these arrangements is a commercial matter for the Post Office and the banks.

Post Office

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much is paid to the owners of sub-post offices for each Post Office Card Account transaction they carry out; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Powerhouse Project

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost of storing the Powerhouse project has been since it was removed from Horse Guards Parade in 1998.

Malcolm Wicks: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Regional Development Agencies

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost was to each regional development agency of designing, printing and distributing a corporate plan in each year since 1999.

Margaret Hodge: England's RDAs have supplied the following details of the cost of producing their corporate plans:
	
		
			  Advantage West Midlands (AWM) 
			  Document   
			 2002-04 19,693 
			 2005-08 18,771 
			  Note: Prior to 2002 no Corporate Plan was designed and published for general circulation, therefore no costs were involved. 
		
	
	
		
			  East of England Development Agency (EEDA) 
			  Edition   
			 2002-05 9,965 
			 2005-08 11,572 
			  Note: Prior to 2002 no Corporate Plan was designed and published for general circulation, therefore no costs were involved. 
		
	
	
		
			  East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) 
			
			 2002-03 10,000 
			  Note: The Corporate Plan for the other years has been produced entirely in-house and a version for general circulation is not published. It is publicised on the website and copies produced when requested. 
		
	
	
		
			  London Development Agency (LDA) 
			
			 2002-05 25,109 
			 2003-06 26,693 
			 2004-07 23,375 
			 2005-08 26,560 
			 2006-09 (1)29,965 
			 (1) Provisional figure  to be confirmed.  Note: Prior to 2002 no Corporate Plan was designed and published for general circulation, therefore no costs were involved. The LDA produces a three-year Corporate Plan on an annual basis to inform the Mayor of London's consolidated budget setting process for the Greater London Authority. The higher cost of producing the LDA's plan is due to a number of factors. These include the cost of outsourcing to a production company rather than in-house production, higher costs of production in London, improving its accessibility to those with disabilities, accommodating extra input from the Mayor's office, and producing hard copies rather than website versions only. 
		
	
	
		
			  Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) 
			
			 2005-06 to 2007-08 4,247 
			  Note: Previous Corporate Plans were not printed and distributed, but posted on the Agency's website. Therefore NWDA does not have any recorded costs in respect of those documents. 
		
	
	
		
			  ONE NorthEast 
			
			 2004 9,050 
			 2005 11,825 
			 2006 6,939 
			  Note: Prior to 2004 One NorthEast did not produce a corporate plan as such and it was not printed or distributed as it is presently. Consequently One NorthEast does not hold any financial or costing information for this period. 
		
	
	 South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)
	SEEDA has only printed a Corporate Plan in 2005 (summary only). 1000 copies were printed at a cost of 1,390. In all other years, the Corporate Plan is produced entirely in-house and a version for general circulation is not published. It is publicised on the website and copies produced when requested.
	
		
			  South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) 
			
			 2000-01 500 
			 2001-02 500 
			 2002-03 4,580 
			 2003-04 14,568 
			 2005-08 14,407 
		
	
	 Yorkshire Forward (YF)
	The Corporate Plan is produced entirely in-house and a version for general circulation is not published. It is publicised on the website and copies produced when requested.

Regional Development Agencies

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses in each region received financial assistance from the regional development agencies in each year since 1999.

Margaret Hodge: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Regional Development Agencies

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to extend further the powers and responsibilities of regional development agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Research and Development

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent on research and development  (a) in the West Midlands and  (b) nationally.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 26 October 2006
	The amount spent on RD in the West Midlands and nationally can be seen in the following tables.
	
		
			  RD performed in the UK in the private and public sectors in 2003 
			   million 
			   Business expenditure RD (BERD)  Government RD (GOVERD)  Higher education RD (HERD) 
			 West Midlands 587 38 228 
			 England 12,786 1,678 3,606 
			 UK 13,687 2,010 4,457 
			  Notes: 1. These figures may be subject to revisions. 2. The table shows the performers of RD, not the funders.  Source: GERD, 2003; Economics Trends 621. 
		
	
	
		
			  Business expenditure on RD, 2004 
			million 
			 West Midlands 800 
			 England 12,546 
			 UK 13,504 
			  Note: Government and Higher Education Expenditure for 2004 not yet available.  Source: Business Monitor, MA 14, 2004

Research and Development

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of his Department's research and development budget has been spent on research establishments based in  (a) Wales,  (b) England,  (c) Scotland and  (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

River Tyne

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the joint North Tyneside Metropolitan District Council, Newcastle City Council and One North East study on future land use on the river front north of the River Tyne.

Margaret Hodge: It has not proved possible to respond to my right hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Road Traffic Accidents

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with automobile  (a) manufacturers and  (b) insurers on (i) vehicle design and passenger safety and (ii) the costs of vehicle repairs and personal injury claims arising out of road traffic accidents.

Margaret Hodge: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport (DfT) has lead responsibility for policy relating to road transport and the regulation of vehicle safety. DfT has numerous formal and informal discussions with interested parties, including manufacturers and insurers, about road and vehicle safety. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) works collaboratively with the automotive manufacture and distribution industry to investigate reports of design or construction deficiency. The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) has regular discussions with its automobile manufacturer customers in order to understand the new technologies that they wish to use, and to type approve their designs against statutory safety standards.
	Department of Trade and Industry has regular dialogue with the automotive industry on a wide range of issues, working closely with DfT and other relevant Government departments and agencies. In particular, the Vehicle Industry Policy and European Regulation (VIPER) group, which is attended by Government officials including DTI, DfT and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs along with industry representatives, discuses regulatory issues that affect the automotive sector, including the development of technical regulations, which are mainly concerned with the environmental or safety performance of vehicles.

Royal Society International Fellowships

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department plans to allocate to the Royal Society international fellowship scheme in each of the next five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Royal Society International Fellowships

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many foreign scientists he expects to take part in the Royal Society international fellowship scheme.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Royal Society International Fellowships

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which areas of science will be covered by the Royal Society International Fellowship Scheme.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Savings Companies

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are in place to protect savers who invest in savings companies which go into closure.

Ian McCartney: Many firms that offer savings and investment products to the public, such as banks, building societies and insurance companies, are required by legislation to be authorised by the Financial Services Authority. If an authorised firm fails and is unable to pay claims against it, compensation is often available to savers and investors (subject to certain limitations) from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Consumers can find out whether a firm is authorised by checking the FSA Register either on-line (www.fsa.gov.uk/register) or by telephone (0845 606 1234).
	The legislation does not require companies which operate pre-payment schemes for goods and services, such a Christmas hampers, to be authorised by the FSA.

Scottish Regulatory Bodies

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the operation of regulatory bodies under the Scottish legal system.

Malcolm Wicks: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Seal Skins

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many seal skins were imported into the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Ian McCartney: The importation of listed products of 'whitecoat' pups of harp seals and 'blueback' pups of hooded seals has been prohibited in this country and throughout the European Union for some 20 years. We are actively looking into the possibility of imposing a ban on the import of listed products of all harp and hooded seals.
	Figures are not available for numbers of other seal skins which are imported. The Overseas Trade Statistics suggest impost in 2005 of about 4.1 tonnes of whole seal fur skins and pieces or cuttings.

Secondments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many BP employees are on secondment to his Department; what areas they are working on; on what terms; and how many BP employees have been on secondment to his Department in each year since January 2002.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 6 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Skill Shortages

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to address skills shortages in the process industries in the north east of England.

Margaret Hodge: The Regional Development Agency, One North East, has just completed work on its Regional Economic Strategy for 2006-2016. This gives prominence to work on skills, ensuring we meet our priorities in a regional context through initiative such as Regional Skills Partnerships and the Regional Skills Action Plan. For example, One North East, working in conjunction with the Learning and Skills Council and other regional partners, has developed three initiatives to address skills shortages. These are:
	Science Citythis is an inclusive approach being taken in the region to promote science as an exciting and rewarding career opportunity. The activity underpins process sector requirements for the future in providing a supply of talented labour. We are investing heavily into this project which covers five key strand areas.
	Partnership workingfollowing an assessment of apprenticeship supply and demand in the region, One North East is working closely with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to increase the capacity to deliver process industry training. This links to the above activities and directly addresses the identified shortage of 100 process operators and subsequent increase in demand to meet the projected shortfall of 210 in 2007-08, rising to 600 in 2010-11.
	Higher Level Skills Pathfinder projectthe North East was one of three regions invited by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to submit proposals for a Pathfinder project aimed at helping the Higher Education system to make a step change in the way in which it works with partners to tackle the region's skills needs. The pathfinder will add value to the existing contribution of institutions to workforce development in the region by adding capacity and capability into the region's skills infrastructure. The proposal has been approved by HEFCE's Strategic Development Framework panel and is being submitted to the HEFCE Board for final approval on 2 November 2006.
	The North East will also benefit from national work. Cogent, the employer lead Sector Skills Council for the process industries has identified the skills needed for the sector via the Sector Skills Agreement. Cogent ha recently been asked, by Department for Education and Skills, to develop a business plan for a National Skills Academy for the Process Industries National Skills Academy (PINS A). PINS A is a sector based national centre of excellence that will build on existing training provision infrastructure and will look at novel ways to deliver training into the workplace.

Sovereign Strategy

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what dates over the last 12 months  (a) he and  (b) (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in his Department met a representative of Sovereign Strategy.

Malcolm Wicks: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Spam E-mails

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department  (a) has taken since July and  (b) plans to take during the next 12 months to discourage spam e-mails; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Government have taken action to address the problem of spam. We introduced statutory controls on spam through the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, which were implemented on 11 December 2003. The regulations provide a first line of defence against spam where the recipient has no knowledge of the advertiser or the products being marketed. The regulations require that unsolicited spam must not be sent to an individual subscriber unless prior permission has been obtained or unless there is a previous relationship between the parties. The regulations can be enforced against an offending company or individual anywhere in the European Union (EU).
	The Government recognise the source of the problem is often outside UK and EU borders and has therefore promoted international co-operation initiatives such as the London Action Plan on international spam enforcement co-operation. Additionally on 2 July 2004 a Memorandum of Understanding was agreed between the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, which aims to reduce further the problem by committing enforcement authorities, which for the UK is the Information Commissioner's Office and the Office of Fair Trading, to work together to investigate those sending spam.
	The Government also recognise that the end-user has a role to play in taking action to prevent being a target for those sending spam, as well as action to filter spam. Information has been made available to the public and to business by my Department, the Information Commissioner's Office, the Office of Fair Trading as well as a number of sites provided by service and software providers. These messages have been reinforced by the Get Safe Online initiative that started in 2005 and held a successful internet security awareness week from 9 October this year. This is an initiative between Government and industry to help individuals and businesses protect themselves against internet threats, including spam.
	We will continue to implement this strategy over the next 12 months.

Spam E-mails

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make it a criminal offence to send unsolicited commercial mail unless the consent of the recipient has been gained; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Spam E-mails

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what recent representations he has received from  (a) hon. Members,  (b) Members of the House of Lords and  (c) members of the public in favour of legislation to make it a criminal offence to send unsolicited commercial mail unless the consent of the recipient has been gained; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations he has received from  (a) hon. Members,  (b) Members of the House of Lords and  (c) members of the public (i) in favour of and (ii) opposed to legislation to make it a criminal offence to send unsolicited commercial e-mail unless the consent of the recipient has been gained since July; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what representations he has received from  (a) hon. Members,  (b) Members of the House of Lords and  (c) members of the public on spam e-mails since July; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Since July my Department has received five representations from hon. Members, one representation from a Member of the House of Lords and five representations from members of the public who are in favour of legislation to make it a criminal offence to send unsolicited commercial email unless the consent of the recipient has been gained.
	The Department has not received any representations from hon. Members, Members of the House of Lords or members of the public opposed to legislation to make it a criminal offence to send unsolicited commercial e-mail unless the consent of the recipient has been gained since July.
	These representations have been received in response to the consultation on the review of the European regulatory framework for electronic communication and services. The Government have discussed the issue of (i) the internet, (ii) spam e-mails and (iii) e-commerce with telecommunications companies, internet service providers and other interested parties.
	Details about the preparation of the UK input to the review (including notes of meetings) can be found on the DTI website:
	http://www.dti. gov.uk/sectors/telecoms/2006review/page26449.html

Spam E-mails

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the  (a) publications and  (b) consultation documents produced by his Department on (i) the internet, (ii) spam e-mails and (iii) e-commerce since July; if he will place copies of each in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Department has not produced any  (a) publications or  (b) consultation documents on the (i) internet, (ii) spam emails or (iii) e-commerce since July.

Spam E-mails

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have had since July with (i) Microsoft and (ii) internet providers on restricting spam e-mail; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: DTI Ministers have not had contact with Microsoft and internet services providers specifically on restricting spam email in the period since July. DTI officials regularly engage with key companies that enable the use of the internet by UK consumers. Spam is addressed by the DTI's anti-spam working group, which brings business (includes Microsoft and the internet service provider community) and Government together to review the developing response to the spam problem. The working group last met on 26 September 2006.
	Our overall approach to the issue of spam is set out in my reply to the hon. Member's parliamentary question number 99261.

Spam E-mails

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints have been made to the Information Commissioner in 2006 on spam e-mails; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Information Commissioner's Office is responsible for administering the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. Regulation 22 of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations relates to the sending of unsolicited direct marketing material by electronic mail, which includes e-mail. However it does not cover the sending of all e-mail communications that could be considered to be 'spam', such as e-mails from an organisation where there is some prior history of contact.
	Between 1 January 2006 and 1 November 2006 the Information Commissioner's Office received a total of 503 complaints about emails that were allegedly sent in breach of Regulation 22 of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. It should be noted that this figure will include cases that were not found to constitute a breach of Regulation 22 and complaints where the information provided was not sufficient to enable the Information Commissioner's Office to determine that a breach of regulations had or had not occurred.

Training

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding has been made available to assist companies to train workers from European Union member states.

Phil Hope: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

UK Research Council

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what funding will be provided to the UK Research Council office in Hong Kong by his Department; what the aims of the office are; and how many staff the office will employ;
	(2)  what plans he has to open UK Research Council offices overseas.

Alistair Darling: holding answer 6 November 2006
	The UK Research Councils are planning to establish an office in Beijing, China, in 2007. The office will initially be funded from existing Research Councils budgets and plans to employ two UK nationals, assisted by two locally engaged staff. The office will explore topics that are of strategic interest to both Research Councils UK and Chinese partners which can be developed into substantive research collaborations.
	The Research Councils will consider other locations in line with the Government's Global Science and Innovation Forum's Strategy for International Engagement in Research and Development, recommendation to give to greater presence of Research Councils UK (RCUK) internationally.

Units of Measurement

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential impact of EU directive 80/181/EEC; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: It is implemented into UK law by the Units of Measurement Regulations 1994 (SI1994/2867), the Weights and Measures Act 1985 (Metrication)(Amendment) Order 1994 (SI1994/2866) and the Units of Measurement Regulations 1995 (SI1995/1804).
	Article 6a of the directive requires a further examination of the working of the directive to be carried out, with particular reference to the matter of supplementary indications. We understand that the European Commission has commenced this examination, and intends to publish a consultation paper shortly.

US Department of Justice

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with representatives of the United States' Department of Justice in the last 12 months.

Ian McCartney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Scheme (Disabled People)

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Access to Work scheme in increasing the number of disabled people in employment.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 30 October 2006
	Since 1997 the number of disabled people helped by Access to Work has more than doubled. In the operational year 2005-06 Access to Work helped over 28,000 people to either gain or maintain employment. In total, since 1997-98, more than 240,000 people have been helped by Access to Work.
	Access to Work has been shown to be a cost-effective programme in helping disabled people to gain or maintain employment.

Attendance Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on attendance allowance for each year since 2002-03; and what expenditure on such allowances is forecast in each year up to 2015.

Anne McGuire: The available information is in the table. No firm expenditure plans exist beyond 2007-08. Information for the years from 2008-09 to 2014-15 will be available when the Government's expenditure plans for those years are published.
	
		
			  Attendance allowance: cash expenditure in Great Britain in each year from 2002-03 to 2007-08 
			   Expenditure ( million) 
			 2002-03(1) 3,251 
			 2003-04(1) 3,457 
			 2004-05(1) 3,677 
			 2005-06(2) 3,916 
			 2006-07(3) 4,122 
			 2007-08(3) 4,341 
			 (1 )Outturn (2 )Estimated outturn (3 )Plans  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 1 million and are consistent with the 2006 Budget Report and with expenditure information published on the Department's website at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp

Benefit Fraud

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the fraud and error rate in each of the last five years in  (a) percentage terms and  (b) cash terms in (i) attendance allowance, (ii) carer's allowance, (iii) basic state pension, (iv) bereavement benefit, (v) industrial injuries benefit, (vi) maternity allowance, (vii) severe disablement allowance, (viii) social fund, (ix) widow's benefit and (x) winter fuel payments; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The Department for Work and Pensions has a systematic methodology for measuring fraud and error across the benefit system, carrying out continuous measurement for those benefits research has shown are most at risk from fraud and error, and less frequent reviews of other benefits. Carer's allowance and state pension are subject to less frequent reviews so figures for different years are calculated by applying percentages derived from the most recent exercise and applying them to previous expenditure.
	The requested information for attendance allowance, bereavement benefit, industrial injuries disablement benefit, maternity allowance, severe disablement allowance, social fund, widow's benefit and winter fuel payments is not available.
	The available information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Estimates of overpayments in carer's allowance 
			   Fraud  Customer error  Official error  Total fraud and error 
			million  Percentage   million  Percentage   million  Percentage   million  Percentage 
			 2001-02 40 3.9 10 1.0 10 0.6 50 5.5 
			 2002-03 40 3.9 10 1.0 10 0.6 50 5.5 
			 2003-04 40 3.9 10 1.0 10 0.6 60 5.5 
			 2004-05 40 3.9 10 1.0 10 0.6 60 5.5 
			 2005-06 40 3.9 10 1.0 10 0.6 60 5.5 
			  Notes: 1. Figures calculated using percentages overpaid from the 1996 review and applying to expenditure for each of the last five years. 2. Overpayment figures rounded to the nearest 10 million. The totals may appear different from the sum of the components due to this rounding. 
		
	
	
		
			  Estimates of overpayments in state pension 
			   Fraud  Customer error  Official error  Total fraud and error 
			million  Percentage   million  Percentage   million  Percentage   million  Percentage 
			 2001-02 0 0.0 30 0.1 40 0.1 70 0.2 
			 2002-03 0 0.0 40 0.1 10 0.0 50 0.1 
			 2003-04 0 0.0 40 0.1 20 0.1 60 0.1 
			 2004-05 0 0.0 40 0.1 30 0.1 70 0.1 
			 2005-06 0 0.0 40 0.1 30 0.0 70 0.1 
			  Notes: 1. Fraud and customer error figures calculated using percentages overpaid from the 2006 pilot review and applying to expenditure for each of the last five years. The figure presented here for 2004-05 is therefore slightly different to that presented in the 2004-05 DWP resource accounts. 2. Official error figures for 2004-05 and earlier produced from the official error measurement in the relevant year. Official error figure for 2005-06 derived from the 2006 pilot review. 3. Figures rounded to the nearest 10 million. The totals may appear different from the sum of the components due to this rounding.

Benefits

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of overpayment of benefits by his Department was in each of the last eight years.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is available only from the fiscal year 2000-01.
	The overpayments of benefit identified over the last five years are in the following table. This is broken down between those that are recoverable under social security legislation, because of claimant error or fraud, and the total, which will include those overpayments that were not recoverable under social security legislation:
	
		
			   million 
			   Recoverable  Total 
			 2001-02 328 434 
			 2002-03 304 417 
			 2003-04 278 363 
			 2004-05 307 408 
			 2005-06 309 (1)408 
			 (1) This represents 0.35 per cent. of total benefit expenditure. 
		
	
	The Department initiated a programme in 2001 to bring increased focus to the management and recovery of benefit overpayments. This programme had delivered by 2005 a dedicated debt management organisation, with a new computer system rolled out by February 2006.
	This has succeeded in heightening the profile of recovery of overpayments, particularly those arising through fraud or claimant error, which forms the majority of the overpayments that are identified, as shown in the table. As part of this increased profile, the Department now uses private sector companies to help recover debts where the Department's own recovery attempts have been unsuccessful. This reinforces the message that we are taking recovery of debt seriously.
	In addition to the above, to help tackle error the Department has taken a three
	pronged approach:
	1. Set up a dedicated Official Error Reduction Task Force with the specific aim of achieving demonstrable reductions in official error in short term by December 2006.
	2. Established a dedicated benefit simplification team focused on exploring how the benefit system could be simplified.
	3. Is developing a longer-term error reduction strategy which will set out medium and long term solutions to further improve benefit correctness.

Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average processing time for  (a) housing benefit claims and  (b) council tax benefit claims was in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Average processing times 
			  Days 
			   Housing benefit  Council tax benefit  All claims 
			 2001-02 59.0 65.4 61.9 
			 2002-03 53.0 60.1 56.2 
			 2003-04 50.3 51.9 50.1 
			 2004-05 45.3 47.0 46.0 
			 2005-06 36.7 36.1 35.9 
		
	
	The time for each claim is measured from the day the claim is received by the local authority to the day a full decision on the claim is made. This includes non-working days and time taken to obtain further information.

Benefits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2006,  Official Report, column 590W, on benefits, which organisations  (a) were in favour of and  (b) opposed the simplification or reform of the housing benefit non-dependant deduction regime proposed in the housing green paper.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 27 February 2006,  Official Report, column 246W.

Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of bereavement benefit was in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Benefits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many housing benefit claims were subject to each rate of non-dependant deduction in 2005-06; how many claimants in each rate lived in  (a) council housing,  (b) registered social landlord housing and  (c) the private rented sector; and what percentage of total housing benefit claims each group represents.

James Plaskitt: Information for 2005-06 is not available.

Benefits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of housing benefit claims were subject to a non-dependant deduction for which the claimant was  (a) registered disabled,  (b) over 60 years old,  (c) in receipt of income support or job seeker's allowance and  (d) a lone parent in 2005-06.

James Plaskitt: Information for 2005-06 is not yet available.

Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what housing benefit expenditure was in each local authority area in London in each of the last five years at 2006 prices.

James Plaskitt: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average housing benefit payment was to households in temporary accommodation in each London local authority in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what housing benefit expenditure was on households in temporary accommodation in each year since 1997.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Housing benefit expenditure on households in temporary accommodation 
			million (nominal) 
			 1997-98 787.207 
			 1998-99 823.903 
			 1999-2000 851.876 
			 2000-01 876.096 
			 2001-02 945.223 
			 2002-03 1,041.365 
			 2003-04 900.371 
			 2004-05 1,040.282 
			 2005-06 1,142.693 
		
	
	
		
			  Housing benefit expenditure on households in temporary accommodation 
			million (real terms, 2006-07 prices) 
			 1997-98 82.837 
			 1998-99 84.942 
			 1999-2000 86.66 
			 2000-01 87.879 
			 2001-02 89.965 
			 2002-03 92.748 
			 2003-04 965.769 
			 2004-05 1,085.916 
			 2005-06 1,170.609 
			  Notes: 1. Expenditure data is taken from local authorities' subsidy returns. 2. All figures are final audited data with the exception of 2005-06 which is provisional (pre-audited) data and so may be subject to change. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.

Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of existing inapacity benefit recipients he expects will receive Pathways to Work support by 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: We are planning for Pathways to Work to be rolled out across the whole country from April 2008. In current Pathways to Work areas participation has been mandatory for new claimants since their inception. All claimants already on incapacity benefits have voluntary access to the support on offer where it is available; and by 2008 it will therefore be available to all incapacity benefit recipients.

Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of people in receipt of incapacity related benefits who are engaging in employment in breach of benefit rules; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Benefits

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) Redbridge and  (b) Waltham Forest are in receipt of incapacity benefit; and how many of these people have been in receipt of incapacity benefit for (i) up to one year, (ii) one to two years, (iii) two to five years and (iv) over five years.

Anne McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of total claims for industrial injuries benefit were claimed in each category of injury and disablement in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Industrial injury new prescribed disease and new accident claims received in 2005 by prescribed disease and cause of accident 
			  Cause of accident or prescribed disease  Cases  Proportion (percentage) 
			 Amputations 435 1.1 
			 Burns 115 0.3 
			 Crushing 130 0.3 
			 Cuts and contusions 160 0.4 
			 Dislocations and fractures 1,555 3.9 
			 Unspecified injuries to back 4,745 11.9 
			 Unspecified injuries to legs 2,495 6.3 
			 Unspecified injuries to arms 5,510 13.8 
			 Unspecified injuries to head 1,185 3.0 
			 Unspecified injuries to body 25 0.1 
			 Unspecified injuries to multiple areas 975 2.5 
			 Synovial inflammation 580 1.5 
			 Occupational deafness 2,085 5.2 
			 Vibration white finger 3,865 9.7 
			 Carpal tunnel syndrome 1,620 4.1 
			 Pneumoconiosis 5,300 13.3 
			 Diffuse mesothelioma 1,550 3.9 
			 Unilateral or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening 2,235 5.6 
			 Bronchitis and emphysema 1,380 3.5 
			 Others 3,850 9.7 
			 Total 39,785  
			  Notes. 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five, columns may not sum to the total. 2. 'All new claims' include a small number of cases where the claim type is not known. For this reason the individual columns may not add to the total. 3. All accidents includes claims for reduced earnings allowance accidents. 4. Where the cause of accident could be classed in more than one category, e.g. 'crushing', 'cuts and contusions' and 'injury to head', the case is shown in the area of the body affected, i.e. 'injury to head'. 5. Figures include claims from people resident overseas. 6. New claims are assessment based (a person can have more than one assessment). 7. Figures are provisional and subject to revision.  Source: Clerical Counts, 100 per cent. data.

Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of industrial injuries benefits in each year since 1996-97; and what are the projected costs in each year up to 2008-09.

Anne McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what entitlement the self-employed have to industrial injuries benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claiming industrial injuries benefit were  (a) in work,  (b) out of work and of working age and  (c) retired in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect receipt of industrial injuries benefit has on entitlement to incapacity benefit.

Jim Murphy: Incapacity benefit is reduced by the amount of unemployability supplement and industrial death benefit paid as additions to industrial injuries disablement benefit.
	The award of industrial injuries disablement benefit without the unemployability supplement or industrial death benefit components has no effect on the payment of incapacity benefit.

Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) smallest,  (b) largest and  (c) average settlements made by the Government in lieu of backdating widower's benefit are.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 6 November 2006
	Since the judgment of the House of Lords in the case of Hooper, the Government have, in compliance with our legal obligations, settled those claims relating to widow's payment and widowed mother's allowance, which are or would be admissible before the European Court of Human Rights.
	The total sum so far paid is 671,068.76 to 78 applicants, thereby making the average settlement 8,603.44. The smallest payment made so far was 1,140.67 and the largest 30,865.61.

Cancer Patients

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made by the triparite group on information delivery of benefits to cancer patients; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Disability and Carers Service have been working closely with the Department of Health and Macmillan Cancer Support to identify people with long-term health conditions who need benefit advice at the earliest opportunity. The Department of Health is developing an Information Prescription which will provide details of where people can go to find out more about their specific condition, treatment and services, and will alert patients with any progressive disease where they can get advice and information about the benefits they may be entitled to. The Information Prescription will be trialled and it is hoped it will be available throughout England by 2008.

Carers

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how his Department plans to ensure that the Welfare Reform Bill extends support for those carers who have suffered from ill health but wish to return to work;
	(2)  what strategies he and his Department have devised to ensure that there are  (a) appropriate sources of support for carers who return to work,  (b) flexible care options for carers who wish to return to work and  (c) flexible working arrangements for carers returning to work.

Anne McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Carers

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information and advice on benefits entitlement is provided for  (a) all carers and  (b) those carers who wish to return to work; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: Information about the benefits available to carers can be obtained from a wide range of sources, including Jobcentre Plus offices, Pensions centres, advice agencies, libraries, doctors' surgeries, and the Directgov. website.
	Carer's allowance recipients who wish to return to work can request a work-focused interview from their local Jobcentre Plus office. These interviews are conducted by experienced advisers who can help carers find and apply for suitable jobs or training opportunities.

Carers

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of  (a) how many carers there are in the UK,  (b) how many hours, on average, they spend fulfilling their caring responsibilities and  (c) what the cost per hour of care would be to the public purse if they were not providing such care.

Anne McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation

Carers

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department intends to develop a separate strategy to support and encourage carers aged over 50 years who wish to return to work.

Anne McGuire: We are committed to increasing the choices and opportunities available for all people aged 50 and over, including carers, to remain in, or rejoin the labour market. We want to give people opportunities to make choices that best meet their individual needs. We are promoting the benefits of a mixed-age workforce to employers through our Age Positive initiative.
	From April 2007, the Work and Families Act 2006 will extend the right to request flexible working to carers of adults. This will support carers who wish to remain in or return to work and will particularly help those aged 45 to 64, around one quarter of whom are carers. As we set out in the Welfare Reform Green Paper, over the coming year we will be encouraging employers to adopt more flexible approaches to work and retirement to increase the work opportunities available for older workers.

Carers

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with organisations representing  (a) older people and  (b) those with disabilities on the impact of the Welfare Reform Bill on those carers who have suffered from ill health but wish to return to work.

Jim Murphy: We published a response to our formal Green Paper consultation on 19 June in A New Deal for Welfare: Empowering People to Work consultation report (Cm 6859). The response set out our proposals for welfare reform and reflected the consultation feedback that was received from over 600 organisations. This consultation has helped us to understand and appreciate the issues faced by our customers and the practical implications of policy changes.
	We continue to liaise closely with a wide range of stakeholders, lobby groups and service users, meeting as many as possible. For example, I have recently been on visits to projects run by MIND and MENCAP, consulted with Carers UK, and have hosted a meeting of service users with mental health conditions.

Carers

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if his Department will take steps to a develop a joined-up strategy with the Department of Education and Skills to identify and offer support to those carers who are of school age;
	(2)  what strategies his Department has for extending and developing support for carers under the age of 25; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Carers

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the extent to which the means-testing of carer's allowance affects single parents and couples equally; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: Carer's allowance is not a means-tested benefit.

Child Poverty

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of children in poverty, broken down by age band; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The information is in the tables. Low income is defined as being below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income. The information is shown on a before housing costs and after housing costs basis.
	
		
			  Percentage of children living in low income households, by age-band Before Housing Costs: 2004-05 
			  Age-band  1996-97  2004-05 
			  Under 5-years-old 23 16 
			 5-10 years old 27 19 
			 11-years-old and over 24 22 
			 All children 25 19 
			  Source:  Family Resources Survey 2004/05 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage of children living in low income households, by age-band After Housing Costs: 2004-05 
			  Age-band  1996-97  2004-05 
			  Under 5-years-old 35 27 
			 5-10 years old 36 28 
			 11-years-old and over 30 27 
			 All children 33 27 
			  Source:  Family Resources Survey 2004/05

Child Poverty

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which specific targets define the Government's objective of abolishing child poverty by 2020; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The decision on the choice of indicators to measure our progress to eradicate child poverty, was the result of extensive consultation, the conclusions of which are set out in the Department's Measuring Child Poverty consultation document; which is available in the Library.
	The consultation exercise resulted in the decision to adopt three indicators for our measure. These are summarised on page 30 of Opportunity for All 8, which is available in the Library.

Child Poverty

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in the UK have been in absolute low income poverty in each year since 1979-80; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Child Support

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what liaison he authorises the Child Support Agency to have with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority to ascertain whether heavy goods vehicle drivers have current licences and thereby investigate their current employment status.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mr Stephen Geraghty, dated 8 November 2006:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what liaison he authorises the Child Support Agency to have with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority to ascertain whether heavy goods vehicle drivers have current licences and thereby investigate their current employment status.
	Section 14 of the Child Support Act 1991 provides the power for the Secretary of State to require specified person to provide information. The associated Regulation specify persons employed by the Crown under the Road Traffic and Vehicle Excise and Regulation Acts as having a duty to provide information to allow us to trace Non Resident Parents.
	The Agency currently has a Service Level Agreement with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority to provide information to aid the tracing of Non Resident Parents. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency database holds information on all vehicles registered within the United Kingdom including heavy goods vehicles.
	The Agency provides the vehicle registration details and the name of the Non Resident Parent they wish to trace, to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. They in turn check their records and where possible, match the information with any identical entries held, and report data to the Child Support Agency.
	We can then use this information in checking the current employment status of Non Resident Parents, and to approach employers in support of a maintenance calculation.
	I hope you find this response helpful.

Child Support

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases remain unprocessed by the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Hilary Reynolds, dated 19 October 2006:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. I am responding, with his authority, on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases remain unprocessed by the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement.
	The Agency begins to process new applications as soon as they are received and continues until they have been cleared. The amount of work required to achieve clearance and the elapsed time it involves varies considerably depending on, amongst other things, the circumstances of the parents and how readily they cooperate with the Agency.
	The number of cases not yet processed through to an outcome (cleared) can be found in the table 2.1 in the June 2006 Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary Statistics, where uncleared applications are those in the course of being processed; a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library, or on the internet via the following link. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/child_support/csa_quarterly_junOS.asp
	I hope you find this helpful.

Child Support

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency cases remain to be unprocessed.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Hilary Reynolds:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. I am responding, with his authority, on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases remain to be unprocessed.
	In answering this question, I have assumed that you are in fact referring to the number of applications that remain to be processed. This information can be found in table 2.1 in the June 2006 Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary Statistics, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library, or on the internet http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/child_support/csa_quarterly_jun06.asp.
	This table shows that 274,000 potential applications across both old and new Child Support Schemes had yet to be cleared at the end of June 2006. This figure represents a fall of 10 per cent. from June 2005.
	I hope you find this helpful.

Child Support

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the legislation governing the Child Support Agency contains provisions covering the enforcement by a parent with care of unpaid Child Support Agency maintenance arrears; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Child support legislation is a codified system that provides for the Secretary of State to arrange for collection and where necessary to exercise discretion on taking enforcement action. The duty on the Secretary of State relieves the parent with care from taking action to enforce. These duties were confirmed by the House of Lords in 2005 when ruling on the case of Kehoe.

Child Support

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how much has been spent by his Department on referring Child Support Agency cases with outstanding arrears to debt collection agencies since August 2005; how much such agencies have collected in outstanding arrears; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many unresolved Child Support Agency cases are currently with debt collection agencies.

James Plaskitt: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Child Support

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been written off by the Child Support Agency in respect of debts classified as with limited prospects of recovery for cases in Peterborough constituency in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Hilary Reynolds, dated 8 November 2006
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. I am responding, with his authority, on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been written off by the Child Support Agency in respect of debts classified as with limited prospects of recovery for cases in Peterborough constituency in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.
	With regard to the Agency's debt balance in the Peterborough constituency, the Agency does not collect data that enables the reporting of debt balances at constituency level. Although we cannot provide the information, at the level you requested, the following background may be helpful.
	The Agency does not have any powers to write-off any debts owed by non-resident parents (NRP).
	The Agency carries out an annual debt analysis exercise to establish the collectability of NRP debt, which informs the provisioning in the Agency Annual Report and Accounts. The gross debt balance, as at 31 March, is reduced by the value of the probably uncollectable debt and a proportion of the possibly uncollectable debt. This exercise and its results are subject to review by the National Audit Office as part of their audit of the Agency's accounts. The 2005/06 Accounts were published Monday 24 July 2006 and can be accessed on http://www.csa.gov.uk/new/about/#S3.
	I hope you find this response helpful.

Departmental Contracts

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the total value of the contracts that his Department has held with  (a) ER consultants and  (b) Praesta in each of the last three years has been; and which Ministers have made use of their services;
	(2)  what the total value was of contracts held by his Department with  (a) ER consultants and  (b) Praesta in each of the last three years; and which Ministers have made use of their services.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 13 September 2006
	The total value of contracts with the Department held by ER consultants and Praesta in the last three years is given in the following table. No current DWP Ministers have made use of their services. We are unable to ascertain whether former DWP Ministers have made use of their services without incurring disproportionate costs.
	
		
			   
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 ER Ltd. 0 3,245.46 0 
			 Praesta International 0 0 17,918.75

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

Anne McGuire: The amount spent by the Department for Work and Pensions, including its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, on hotel and other similar privately provided accommodation for the Financial Years 2003-4 to 2005-6 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  ( million) 
			   Hotels etc. 
			 2003-4 13.32 
			 2004-5 10.53 
			 2005-6 11.05 
		
	
	Information on the other breakdowns requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent by his Department on food and alcohol for its staff working out of office in each year since 2001-02.

Anne McGuire: Information on expenditure on food and on alcohol is not available. The Department does not keep separate records of expenditure to this level of detail.
	All expenditure is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government accounting.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of information technology projects undertaken by or for his Department since 2001 have been delivered  (a) over budget,  (b) after their original deadline,  (c) on budget,  (d) under budget,  (e) on their original deadline and  (f) ahead of their original deadline.

James Purnell: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which non web-related information technology projects cost his Department more than 1 million since 2001; how many qualified tender proposals there were for each project; and which company was awarded each contract.

James Purnell: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on  (a) information technology projects generally and  (b) web-facing projects in each year since 2001, broken down by (i) expenditure on consultants and (ii) other costs.

James Purnell: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental Spending

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on each category of benefit administered by his Department in the last year for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Discretionary Housing Payments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2006,  Official Report, column 642W, on discretionary housing payments, what action he is taking to ensure that housing benefit claimants facing benefit shortfalls are made aware of the availability of discretionary housing payments to help with their rent.

James Plaskitt: Discretionary housing payments can be made by local authorities to housing benefit or council tax benefit claimants who, in the opinion of the local authority concerned, require further financial assistance with their rent or council tax liability. As the scheme is discretionary, it is up to local authorities how they operate it.
	We have included questions for local authorities on how these arrangements are working in Wave 12 of the Local Authority Omnibus Survey. This survey was published at the end of last month. It includes questions on how local authorities publicise this scheme, and how useful they find the current guidance. Local authorities have indicated that they would wish to see more examples of good practice and information on the types of case that can be helped by these payments. We will, of course, take this into account when considering any future guidance.

Discretionary Housing Payments

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was allocated  (a) to each London local authority and  (b) in each region of the UK under the discretionary housing payment scheme in each of the last five years; and what proportion was used in each case.

James Plaskitt: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Discretionary Housing Payments

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many discretionary housing payments were awarded in each London local authority in each of the last five years; and what the average value was of those payments during that period.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Error Task Force

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the total value is of erroneous benefit payments identified by the Error Task Force;
	(2)  what the total  (a) set-up and  (b) running costs have been of the Error Task Force;
	(3)  what targets have been set for the Error Task Force;
	(4)  how many staff are employed in the Error Task Force.

James Plaskitt: The official Error Task Force was established with the specific aim of reducing official error in the payment of income support, jobseekers allowance, pension credit and disability living allowance. The first set of official error estimates covering the task force period are due to be published in summer 2007.
	As at October 2006, total set-up and running costs relating to the task force since its establishment are approximately 132,000. The task force has been set the target of helping to bring about a significant reduction in the level of official error by the end of its first year of operation.
	There are currently 12 staff involved with the Error Task Force, 10 of whom participate on a part-time basis.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on  (a) administration and  (b) legal fees for the Financial Assistance Scheme in each month since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The Financial Assistance Scheme was announced in May 2004. Monthly information on expenditure is not available in a comparative form covering the whole period. Total expenditure on administration in 2004-05 was 1.06 million and in 2005-06 4.73 million. One-off legal fees of 2,089 arose in March 2005. In 2006-07 expenditure to the end of September totalled 1.46 million and a monthly breakdown is as follows:
	
		
			  Current financial year 2006-07   
			 Apr 2006 144,542 
			 May 2006 198,464 
			 June 2006 159,827 
			 July 2006 617,991 
			 August 2006 170,832 
			 September 2006 169,283 
			 Total April 2006 to September 2006 1,460,939

Financial Assistance Scheme

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what total amount has been paid out by the Financial Assistance Scheme; and how many people are now receiving payments.

James Purnell: The Financial Assistance Scheme has paid a total of 1,694,492.35 gross (1,322,507.89 net) to 454 qualifying members (as of 27 October).

Financial Assistance Scheme

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much is allocated to  (a) establishing and  (b) running the Financial Assistance Scheme; and how much is allocated to the scheme for disbursing as assistance.

James Purnell: holding answer on 16 October 2006
	Our estimates are that over the first three years up to March 2007 we will spend around 4.5 million on the costs of setting up the scheme and around 5.9 million on scheme administration. The one-off set-up costs cover opening the operational unit and building the necessary IT systems. As FAS is paid from age 65, and we now propose to extend it to people up to 15 years from their scheme pension age, most of the estimated 40,000 people we expect to help will not be eligible for some time. For example, a 45 year old with a scheme pension age of 60 will not be eligible for FAS payments until they reach 65 in 2024.
	This is reflected in our forecast for disbursing assistance which over the three years to March 2007 is 8 million and over the entire lifetime of FAS 2.3 billion.

Fuel Poverty

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households which are not pensioner households are entitled to cold weather payments; and what plans he has to provide additional help to those households who may be suffering from fuel poverty.

James Plaskitt: A cold weather payment is made when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0 C or below over seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to an eligible customer's postcode. Eligible customers are those awarded pension credit, or those awarded income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance who have a pensioner or disability premium or a child who is disabled or aged under five. The number of households which are not pensioner households, which would have been entitled to a cold weather payment in winter 2005-06 if the temperature criterion had been met for their postcode, was 1.5 million.
	A fuel-poor household is one that struggles to keep adequately warm at reasonable cost. The most widely accepted definition of a fuel-poor household is one which needs to spend more than 10 per cent. of its income on all fuel use and to heat the home to an adequate standard of warmth. This is generally defined as 21 C in the living room and 18 C in the other occupied rooms.
	There are a number of energy efficiency initiatives in place to help households on low income reduce fuel costs. These are being taken forward by DTI and DEFRA.

Health and Safety

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will enhance the requirement for workplace supervision in the Code of Practice for the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations in relation to vetting of premises for suitability of work placements for young people.

Anne McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation

Health and Safety

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will improve health and safety guidance for those involved in education, training and employment of young people.

Anne McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which information technology projects are being undertaken by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies; what the (i) start date, (ii) original planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) originally planned costs and (v) estimated costs are of each; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Job Search Support

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the UK left employment in the last 12 months; how many were provided with job search support via Government agencies; what the  (a) total and  (b) average cost per person was of providing job search support; what success rates were achieved; and how success is measured.

Jim Murphy: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Jobcentre Plus

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1476W, on Jobcentre Plus, what the estimated  (a) on-flows and  (b) off-flows for incapacity benefits are for each year to 2019-20.

Anne McGuire: Projected estimates of the numbers flowing onto and off incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance, consistent with published projections of claimants are shown in the following table.
	These projections do not take into account any of the proposed policy changes in the recent papers, A new deal for welfare: Empowering people to work, or Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system, but do take into account the one- third roll- out of Pathways to Work.
	
		
			  Estimated numbers of working-age claimants of incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance, 2005-06 to 2019-20 
			  Thousands 
			   Claimants  Flows - on  Flows-off 
			 2005-06 2,710 610 650 
			 2006-07 2,650 590 660 
			 2007-08 2,570 570 640 
			 2008-09 2,490 560 610 
			 2009-10 2,430 560 610 
			 2010-11 2,400 580 580 
			 2011-12 2,390 580 600 
			 2012-13 2,370 590 600 
			 2013-14 2,360 590 600 
			 2014-15 2,350 600 600 
			 2015-16 2,360 600 600 
			 2016-17 2,380 600 600 
			 2017-18 2,410 610 600 
			 2018-19 2,440 610 600 
			 2019-20 2,470 620 600 
			 Notes:  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.  2. Figures are based on the published Budget 2006 estimates.  3. Figures are forecasts and are therefore subject to future revisions.  4. Figures include estimates of the impact of equalisation of state pension age on the IB caseload.  5. The balance between flows-on and flows-off will not reconcile to year-on-year changes in claimant forecast, owing to:  (a) the rounding of all figures to the nearest ten thousand cases;  (b) policy estimates (as listed in note 4) being applied to the claimant figures, but not the flow figures; and  (c) the within-year averaging applied to the claimant forecast.

Jobcentre Plus

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what checks are made by Jobcentre Plus on the immigration status of applicants and claimants.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie;
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what checks are made by Jobcentre Plus on the immigration status of applicants and claimants. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	When a customer contacts Jobcentre Plus we ask them to provide their National Insurance Number. If a customer does not know their National Insurance Number or they do not have one, and we cannot match their personal details against an existing record the customer is asked to obtain a National Insurance Number for their benefit claim to proceed. The application process involves an Evidence of Identity interview where they are asked to prove their identity and are also asked questions about nationality, residence, and details of their journey to the UK.
	Even if an applicant for benefit already has a National Insurance Number, they will be expected to provide confirmation of their identity as part of the claims process.
	At the initial interview the Financial Assessor will establish the customer's identity and, if applicable, their partner's identity. If the Financial Assessor has any doubts, they will request evidence to be provided to verify the identity of the customer. They would not allow the claim to proceed, until they are satisfied of the customer's identity.
	Anyone who has arrived in the UK in the two years prior to making a benefit claim must prove they have a right to reside in the UK, as well as being habitually resident, before any claim is processed or payment made.
	I hope this explanation is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the performance of Jobcentre Plus in dealing with claimants.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking for a statement on the performance of Jobcentre Plus in dealing with claimants. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus employs around 71,000 staff dealing with some 235 million contacts from customers per year. Every working day, we help almost 4,000 customers to find work, we conduct 36,000 work-focused interviews, and process over 15,000 new benefit claims. Through our website, we enable customers to access details of around 300,000 job vacancies. Over the last year, we have continued to deliver the great majority of our services to time and budget and we met or exceeded the majority of our targets for 2005-06.
	We are part way through a process to transform the way the business operates to provide improved labour market and benefit services more efficiently and with fewer staff. In our new offices, which are already in place across most of the country, customers experience a more welcoming and professional environment and our Contact Centres and e-channels provide greater flexibility in the ways customers can contact us. Our website, for example, receives an average of 1.5 million user visits and 4.8 million job searches a week.
	There were problems in the Jobcentre Plus Contact Centre network in 2005. However, prompt action was taken focused on the worst performing sites and I am pleased to say that this year Contact Centre performance has consistently exceeded our internal target of answering 90 per cent of calls from customers.
	Jobcentre Plus must also make more progress in improving its performance in processing new benefit claims. We have a new target for 2006-07 called the Actual Average Clearance Time target and have put in place a dedicated Customer Experience Improvement Team to drive performance improvements.
	Performance on Income Support (IS) and Incapacity Benefit (IB) clearance times has improved this operational year and we are on track to hit the IB element of this target. We aim to build on the improvements seen so far and seek to achieve performance inside the target level for IS and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) as well as for IB.
	The table below shows the cumulative Actual Average Clearance Times for IS, JSA and IB for the period April 2006 to August 2006.
	
		
			  Average actual clearance time year to date performance April to August 2006 
			   Target (days)  Actual performance 
			 Income support 11 12.1 
			 Jobseeker's allowance 12 15.2 
			 Incapacity benefit 18 16.9 
		
	
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 890W, on jobseeker's allowance, whether it is still his policy that no special considerations are given to a women's suitability for employment when wearing a veil.

Jim Murphy: There has been no change of policy since the written answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 889W.

Jobseeker's Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of unemployment benefit/jobseeker's allowance was as a percentage of average earnings in  (a) 1976-77 and  (b) 2006-07; what percentage he expects it to be in 2020-21; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Lone Parents

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1465W, on lone parents, what the estimated cost is of the work-related activity premium for lone parents in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09 (i) net of savings and (ii) without assumed savings from employment effects; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The requested information is not available as the work-related activity premium (WRAP) is a new measure which is being piloted to inform us of the level of take-up we can expect if we roll out the premium nationally, and its effect on lone parent employment.

Means-testing

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which social security benefits are not means-tested; and what factors were taken into account when deciding not to means-test each such benefit.

James Plaskitt: There are currently five income related benefits: income support; jobseeker's allowance (income-based); pension credit; housing benefit; and council tax benefit.
	All other social security benefits fall into three groups. Income replacement benefits, based on an individual's national insurance contributions; jobseeker's allowance (contribution-based); incapacity benefit; maternity allowance; bereavement benefits; and state pension. Income replacement benefits for specific circumstances that are likely to affect the recipient's income: carer's allowance; industrial injuries disablement benefit; and severe disablement allowance. Extra cost benefits available to those both in and out of work: disability living allowance; and attendance allowance.
	All social security benefits are designed to meet the needs of a particular section of the population. Whether or not a benefit is income-related would depend on what the aims and purposes of the particular benefit were.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed incapacity benefit for mental health problems in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The information has been placed in the Library.

Ministerial Travel

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to offset the carbon dioxide emissions caused by ministerial travel in his Department.

James Plaskitt: All central Government ministerial and official air travel is being offset from 1 April 2006. Departmental aviation emissions are calculated on an annual basis and subsequently offset through payments to a central fund. The fund purchases certified emissions reductions credits from energy efficiency and renewable energy projects with sustainable development benefits, in developing countries.
	DWP has developed data collection systems to ensure that all aviation emissions are captured, enabling the Department to offset its carbon emissions caused by official air travel using the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund, details of which can be found on the climate change pages of the DEFRA web site at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/carboncost/carbon-offsetting/index.htm

National Insurance Numbers

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the July 2006 changes which introduced a right to work pre-condition before national insurance numbers could be allocated.

James Plaskitt: No such assessment has yet been made, as there is insufficient data at this time to assess the impact of the change.
	A right to work condition has been introduced into the national insurance number allocation and decision-making process for employment-related applications. This was implemented in July and guidance has been issued to all Jobcentre Plus staff detailing the evidence requirements needed to satisfy this condition. To support this, changes to Regulation 9 of the Social Security (Crediting and Treatment of Contributions and National Insurance Numbers) Regulations 2001 are due to be laid before Parliament on 7 November 2006.
	The Right to Work element of Jobcentre Plus Adult NINO allocation will be assessed as part of an overall assessment of the Adult NINO allocation business process, which will take place during the next operational year (2007-08).

Non-dependant Deductions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations on simplifying the non-dependant deduction received in response to Quality and choice: a decent home for all his Department has considered.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 1 February 2006,  Official Report, column 590W.

Non-state Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people have been contributing to a non-state pension in each year since 1979-80; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The requested information is not available. Few data sources provide information on a consistent basis back to 1979. Figures available from the General Household Survey provide information about the proportion of full-time employees who are members of their current employer's pension scheme, and information for years since 1979 is presented in the following table.
	
		
			  Membership of current employer's pension scheme for full-time employees( 1, 2, 3 ) 1979 to 2004, Great Britain 
			  Percentage 
			   Men  Women  Total 
			 1979 68 55 65 
			 1983 66j 55 61 
			 1985 65 56 62 
			 1987 63 52 59 
			 1988 64 54 61 
			 1989 64 55 61 
			 1991 61 55 59 
			 1992 62 54 59 
			 1993 60 54 58 
			 1994 60 53 58 
			 1995 58 55 57 
			 1996 58 53 56 
			 1998 57 56 57 
			 1998(4) 55 55 55 
			 2000(4) 54 58 55 
			 2001(4) 54 58 55 
			 2002(4) 55 60 57 
			 2003(4) 55 56 55 
			 2004(4) 53 56 54 
			 (1) Full-time employees aged 16 and over. (2) Prior to 1985 full-time students are excluded. Figures since 1987 include full-time students who were working but exclude those on Government schemes. (3) Figures include a few people who were not sure if they were in a pension scheme but thought it was possible. (4) The table shows un-weighted and weighted figures for 1998 to give an indication of the effect of weighting. For the weighted data (1998 to 2004) the weighted base (thousand) is the base for percentages. Un-weighted data (up to 1998) are based on the un-weighted sample.  Source: General Household Survey.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 31 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 273-74W, on the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, what statutory powers of regulation are held by the Health and Safety Executive to regulate the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Anne McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Overpayments

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much overpayment his Department recovered in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The following figures are the total recovered, including benefit overpayments, and housing benefit overpayments recovered on behalf of local authorities.
	
		
			million 
			 2000-01 177 
			 2001-02 188 
			 2002-03 190 
			 2003-04 (1)184 
			 2004-05 189 
			 2005-06 180 
			 2006-07 (2)102.5 
			 (1) The reduction in recoveries reflected the transfer of child benefit to the then Inland Revenue, which previously had contributed 10 million to annual overpayment recoveries within DWP. (2) In the six months since April2006, 102.5 million of benefit overpayments have been recovered. 
		
	
	In recovering an overpayment of benefit, the Department seeks to do so without causing excessive hardship to our claimants. In a majority of cases, recovery will be on an ongoing basis, with the average overpayment taking approximately three years to recover.
	In April 2001, the Department initiated the Debt Programme to bring about increased focus on the management and recovery of benefit overpayments.
	Since then, benefit debt recovery has been centralised in 10 debt centres, and in February 2006 a new computer system was rolled out to support the debt centres.

Part-time Study Rules

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 12 September 2005, to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Sarah Teather),  Official Report, column 2500W, on part-time study rules, 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the review of the part-time study rules;
	(2)  if he will carry out a pilot exempting young people living in a number of accredited foyers from the part-time study rule so that they can  (a) remain on and  (b) claim income support for the duration of their further education course;
	(3)  if he will carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the effect of  (a) abolishing and  (b) changing the part-time study rule for housing benefit;
	(4)  if he will make a statement on reform of the part-time study rule to enable young people to study full-time while in receipt of housing benefit.

James Plaskitt: I have asked my officials to liaise with foyers to identify what could be done to support young people taking a second chance at education without it meaning they lose their benefits, in particular housing benefit. We are not currently proposing a removal of the existing 16-hour study rules for Jobseeker's Allowance. However, we are considering options to find the most effective ways of helping young people with complex needs. We are also in discussions with the Department for Education and Skills on this issue.
	The review of the part-time study rules is ongoing, and nothing has been published.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library the data underlying the graph on page 46 of the Response to the Report by the Parliamentary Ombudsman Trusting in the Pensions Promise showing cash and net present value costs over time for compensating those who have suffered diminutions in their pensions.

James Purnell: The following table shows the data underlying the graph on page 46 of the Response to the Report by the Parliamentary Ombudsman Trusting in the Pensions Promise. Please note that, as stated in the report, this graph shows the typical long-term cost profile, and that the cost profiles for different scenarios vary.
	
		
			   million 
			   Cash  NPV 
			 2007-08 12 10 
			 2008-09 47 39 
			 2009-10 90 70 
			 2010-11 116 84 
			 2011-12 113 77 
			 2012-13 106 69 
			 2013-14 122 228 
			 2014-15 139 80 
			 2015-16 158 85 
			 2016-17 176 89 
			 2017-18 190 91 
			 2018-19 204 92 
			 2019-20 211 90 
			 2020-21 228 92 
			 2021-22 249 95 
			 2022-23 265 95 
			 2023-24 278 94 
			 2024-25 295 94 
			 2025-26 311 93 
			 2026-27 325 92 
			 2027-28 343 91 
			 2028-29 358 90 
			 2029-30 368 87 
			 2030-31 378 84 
			 2031-32 386 81 
			 2032-33 392 78 
			 2033-34 395 74 
			 2034-35 397 70 
			 2035-36 396 66 
			 2036-37 394 62 
			 2037-38 389 57 
			 2038-39 379 53 
			 2039-40 368 48 
			 2040-41 355 44 
			 2041-42 342 40 
			 2042-43 328 36 
			 2043-44 313 32 
			 2044-45 299 29 
			 2045-46 283 26 
			 2046-47 268 23 
			 2047-48 253 21 
			 2048-49 237 18 
			 2049-50 221 16 
			 2050-51 205 14 
			 2051-52 189 12 
			 2052-53 174 11 
			 2053-54 160 9 
			 2054-55 145 8 
			 2055-56 132 7 
			 2056-57 119 6 
			 2057-58 106 5 
			 2058-59 94 4 
			 2059-60 83 3 
			  Notes: 1. 2005-06 prices 2. NPV costs discount cash costs by 2.5 per cent. per year to convert cash costs into real costs and, in addition, by 3.5 per cent. a year in years 0-29, and by 3 per cent. a year in years 30 onwards to convert real costs into NPV costs.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of compensation to those identified in the Ombudsman's report Trusting in the Pensions Promise who have suffered diminutions in their pensions if Pension Protection Fund compensation rules were applied.

James Purnell: I refer the hon. member to the written answer given to the hon. member for Yeovill, (Mr. Laws).

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost is to his Department of work related to pension reform that has been undertaken by consultants since the publication of the Pensions Commission's Second Report on 30 November 2005.

James Purnell: The total cost of work related to pension reform, both research and consultancy, that has been undertaken by consultants for the Department for Work and Pensions between 30 November 2005 and the end of August 2006 is 2,686,741.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of deferred members of occupational pension schemes whose preserved pension entitlements include a guaranteed minimum pension element that is subject to fixed rate revaluation at  (a) 8.5 per cent. for individuals who ceased to be active members between 6 April 1978 and 5 April 1988,  (b) 7.5 per cent. for individuals who ceased to be active members between 6 April 1988 and 5 April 1993,  (c) 7.0 per cent. for individuals who ceased to be active members between 6 April 1993 and 5 April 1997,  (d) 6.25 per cent. for individuals who ceased to be active members between 6 April 1997 and 5 April 2002 and  (e) 4.5 per cent. for individuals who ceased to be active members on or after 6 April 2002.

James Purnell: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  Date of leaving  Number of individuals 
			 6 April 1978 to 5 April 1988 4,150,000 
			 6 April 1988 to 5 April 1993 2,849,000 
			 6 April 1993 to 5 April 1997 2,395,000 
			 6 April 1997 to 5 April 2002 2,403,000 
			 6 April 2002 to date 1,033,000 
			 Note:  These figures include those pensions which have been bought out into a deferred annuity contract and are based on a 3 per cent. sample of the NIRS2 database.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the net saving to the Treasury in each year from 2012 of delaying earnings indexation of the basic state pension until  (a) 2013,  (b) 2014 and  (c) 2015 using figure 9 of the Pensions White Paper, Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pension System, as a baseline.

James Purnell: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Savings from a delay in the earnings link 
			   Earnings uprating delayed to: 
			   2013  2014  2015 
			 2012 0.6 0.6 0.6 
			 2013 0.6 1.2 1.2 
			 2014 0.6 1.2 1.8 
			 2015 0.6 1.3 1.9 
			 2016 0.7 1.3 1.9 
			 2017 0.7 1.3 2.0 
			 2018 0.7 1.4 2.0 
			 2019 0.7 1.4 2.1 
			 2020 0.7 1.4 2.1 
			 2030 1.0 2.0 3.0 
			 2040 1.3 2.6 3.9 
			 2050 1.4 2.9 4.2 
			  Notes: 1. All figures are in 2006-07 prices are in  billion and are for all UK and overseas pensioners; this is consistent with the presentation in the White Paper. 2. These figures are net expenditure changes ie they include the savings made from reduced income-related benefit expenditure; they do not include any change in income tax revenues or national insurance.  3. These additional expenditure estimates are compared to a baseline where the full package of White Paper reforms shown in figure 9 of the Pensions White Paper, Security in Retirement: towards a new pensions system are in place. Interactions with changes to qualifying rules and state pension age changes are therefore included.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has carried out of the impact on work incentives of  (a) reducing the number of qualifying years needed to receive a full basic state pension and  (b) gradually reducing the link between salary and state second pension accruals.

James Purnell: Our reforms will enable and encourage people to work longer as part of the UK's response to an ageing population and our aim to increase the number of older workers by a million.
	The reduction in qualifying years for a full basic state pension combined with re- linking the basic state pension to average earnings will increase the return from working until 30 qualifying years have been attained, after which it would slightly reduce. However, those working past 30 years will continue to accrue rights to the state second pension.
	Re-linking the basic state pension to earnings growth means that across their working life people in all income brackets can expect to receive more from the state pension system.
	These changes will be complemented by a gradual increase in the state pension age, which is likely to have much more significant effects on employment through signalling the need for a behavioural change towards working longer in line with gains in average life expectancy.
	Overall, we expect our reforms to increase employment by empowering people to make informed choices about how they work and save towards their retirement in the context of increased life expectancy.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the calculations set out in figure 9 of the Pensions White Paper, Security in retirement: Towards a New Pension System assume that the age at which individuals become eligible to receive the guarantee element in pension credit rises in line with state pension age or remains at 65 years after 2020; and if he will publish a version of the table on the alternative assumption.

James Purnell: Under our reforms, more people will be receiving state pensions based on their national insurance records, and there will be a more generous basic state pension due to the restoration of the earnings link. This provides a solid foundation for private saving. The guarantee credit will continue to provide a safety net and reforms to the savings credit will reduce the spread of means-testing and support the savings incentives that are an integral part of the reform package.
	The calculations set out in figure 9 of Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pension System assume that the guarantee credit age of eligibility rises in line with the proposed increases in state pension age. The first column in the following table, shows the resulting figures for the cost of state pension reform from 2020. The second column contains the equivalent figures assuming the qualifying age for the guarantee credit remained at 65 from 2020, while that for all other pensioner benefitsincluding the savings creditrise to 68 by 2046, in line with the proposals set out in the White Paper. Estimates do not include any knock-on effects to housing benefit and council tax benefit. It is particularly important to note that no further policy decisions have been assumed, for example, relating to the behavioural effects on employment and savings, or to the structure of the tax, tax credit and benefit systems for people of working age.
	Additional cost of state pension reforms, under the White Paper proposals, and as specified in the hon. Member's question, is given in the following table.
	
		
			   billion, (2006-07 price terms) 
			   Additional cost of state pension reform under White Paper proposals  Additional cost of state pension reform under White Paper proposals but with guarantee credit qualifying age fixed at 65 from 2020 
			 2020 16.1 16.1 
			 2030 33.6 34.2 
			 2040 58.4 59.4 
			 2050 84.1 86.5 
			  Notes: 1. Estimates of additional expenditure are consistent with the policy detail set out in the White Paper. Costs presented are based on long-term projections of United Kingdom benefit spend, consistent with the Budget Report 2006. 2. Estimates of additional expenditure will be sensitive to behavioural changes and depend on the exact policy detail. The figures are indicative only, and are based on expenditure on the relevant guarantee credit case load under the current system. 3. Additional expenditure presented in column 2, headed Additional costs of state pension reform under White Paper proposals but with guarantee credit qualifying age fixed at 65 from 2020 assume age of eligibility for guarantee credit remains at 65, while that for all other pensioner benefitsincluding the savings creditrise to 68 by 2046, in line with the proposals set out in the White Paper. Estimates do not include any knock-on effects to housing benefit and council tax benefit arising as a result of the suggested policy. 4. Costs include additional expenditure on working age benefits as in figure 9 of the White Paper. No further changes to working age benefit spend arising from a lower guarantee credit age of eligibility have been assumed. 5. Costs include the cost of uprating the guarantee credit by earnings and changes in spending on housing benefit and council tax benefit among pensioners. 6. Figures exclude the effect of personal accounts.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what mechanism he plans to accelerate the evolution of the state second pension as proposed in the Pensions White Paper, Security in retirement: towards a new pension system, so that new accruals become completely flat-rate by around 2030.

James Purnell: Under the current system, state second pension would eventually become a flat rate benefit in around 2056. However, in line with the view of the Pensions Commission, we propose to speed up the flat rating process. To this end, the Government will introduce a new Upper Accrual Point which, in year one of the withdrawal of earnings relation, will be set at around the same value as the upper earnings limit. This point will be fixed and not subject to annual uprating of its value. Over a period of time, the earnings-uprated lower earnings threshold will converge on the fixed upper accrual point.
	We estimate that the lower earnings threshold will meet the upper accrual point in around 2030, at which point earnings-related state second pension will no longer accrue.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the research by outside consultants commissioned by his Department in connection with pension reform since January 2004.

James Purnell: Details of all commissioned research contributing to the evidence base for pension reform since January 2004 are contained in annex F of the Government's White Paper on pension reform (Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system, May 2006).
	The following lists all research by outside consultancy firms (rather than research organisations or academics) connected to pension reform that has been commissioned since January 2004. This list includes projects involving the use of specialist academic or expert economic advice as well as traditional research projects involving primary data collection or analysis.
	Investment options in personal accountsCRA Intl (UK)
	Competitive implications of alternative market structures: the microeconomics of NPSSCRA Intl (UK)
	Research study to develop a counterfactual for private pensionsCRA Intl (UK)
	Impact assessment of the NPSS on annuities marketCRA Intl (UK)
	The value of choice and brands in personal accountsCRA Intl (UK)
	Review of research relevant to assessing the impact of the proposed National Pensions Savings Scheme on household savingPWC
	Research into the costs of capital for personal accountsPWC
	Research into early policy development for personal accountsDeloittes
	This list has been compiled on the basis that
	(a) projects undertaken by GAD, ONS or any other Government Department should not be included as they were delivered by civil servants
	(b) projects commissioned by the Pensions Commission have not been included as the Commission was an independent body.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the factors that would influence consumers' choice of provider under the model for personal accounts set out on pages 52 and 53 of the Pensions White Paper Security in retirement: Towards a New Pension System.

James Purnell: The value of consumer choice is an important criteria against which we will judge all delivery models. This issue was discussed further at our seminar on Consumer Choice on 20 September and we will publish our proposals in a personal accounts White Paper in December.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated cost to the Exchequer would be of deemed buy back if the rights to it were exercised by all those identified in the Ombudsman's report Trusting in the Pensions Promise.

James Purnell: This information is not available.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those aged  (a) 40,  (b) 45 and  (c) 50 years with incomes of under 20,000 per annum he expects to receive effective real returns on savings in personal pension accounts of (i) more than 2 for every 1 saved, (ii) between 2 and 1.50 per 1 saved, (iii) between 1.50 and 1 per 1 saved and (iv) less than 1 per 1 saved, assuming no saving prior to the stated age and a zero real investment return on savings; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The information is not available.
	However, the Department for Work and Pensions will be publishing later this year detailed analysis of the expected returns from saving in a private pension, such as personal accounts, illustrative of individuals of different ages and incomes.

Pensions

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions his Department has had in bringing state pensions in line with average earnings.

James Purnell: There has been widespread discussion with the public, the pensions industry and pension campaigners about uprating arrangements for state pensions as part of the National Pensions Debate and in informing proposals in our White Paper Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system.

Post Office Card Account

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average cost to his Department was of Post Office card account transactions in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The estimated cost to DWP for the Post Office card account in the year April 2006 to March 2007 is 153 million.

Reduced Earnings Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people are in receipt of reduced earnings allowance; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people over the state retirement age are in receipt of reduced earnings allowance.

Jim Murphy: As at December 2005, there were 134,720 industrial injuries reduced earnings allowance cases in payment, of which 75,585 were to people over state retirement age.
	 Source:
	Information Directorate, Industrial Injuries Computer System, 100 per cent. data.
	 Notes:
	1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five.
	2. Pension age is defined as females 60 and over and males 65 and over.

Remploy

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that disabled people are not restricted from applying for Remploy jobs by inappropriate job descriptions.

Anne McGuire: The Department receives assurance from Remploy that they actively seek to employ disabled persons for all the company's posts and that all job descriptions are written to ensure they are fair and non-discriminatory to disabled people. We also receive assurance that the company complies with all disability discrimination legislation.

Remploy

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether there are measures in place to prevent Remploy factories employing able-bodied people when there are unemployed disabled people who have the necessary skills.

Anne McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation

Remploy

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department issues guidance to Remploy factories on indirect discrimination against disabled employees; and what steps he takes to ensure that Remploy offers assistance to disabled employees to seek and obtain promotion.

Anne McGuire: Remploy is a non-departmental public body. The Department does not issue specific guidance to Remploy on indirect discrimination against disabled employees, but receives assurance that the company complies with all disability discrimination legislation. All Remploy employees, including disabled workers, have a formal personal development plan in place and are regularly given the opportunity to discuss their long-term career goals and ways in which the company can meet their development needs.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to promote take-up of Access to Work funding by small and medium-sized businesses.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 30 October 2006
	Jobcentre Plus spends around 300,000 a year marketing all its disability programmes, including Access to Work. Information about Access to Work is available in leaflets from Jobcentre Plus offices and on the Jobcentre Plus website. In addition, disability employment advisers are regularly in contact with local employers to give advice on job retention if the disabled employee is concerned about losing their job because of their disability, and will raise awareness of Access to Work when appropriate.
	Applications for Access to Work funding come from a wide range of sources, indicating that knowledge of the Access to Work scheme is widespread.

Workless Households

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of children lived in workless households in each year since 1979-80.

Jim Murphy: The available information is in the following table. A consistent series is only available from spring 1992.
	
		
			  Proportion of children in households with no-one in work for each year from 1992 
			  As at spring:  Children in households with no-one in work (per cent.) 
			 1992 19.7 
			 1993 20.3 
			 1994 21.0 
			 1995 20.6 
			 1996 19.8 
			 1997 18.4 
			 1998 18.5 
			 1999 18.0 
			 2000 16.4 
			 2001 16.1 
			 2002 16.7 
			 2003 16.1 
			 2004 15.9 
			 2005 15.7 
			 2006 15.3 
			  Source: Household labour force survey, spring quarters

Workless Households

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the 50 English wards are with the highest proportion of children aged 15 years or under living in households where benefits for worklessness are received.

Jim Murphy: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Workplace Bullying

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to prevent bullying in the workplace on grounds of  (a) religion,  (b) ethnicity and  (c) sexual orientation; and how much his Department plans to spend on such programmes in the next 12 months.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions recognises that the effects of any bullying in the workplace including those on the grounds of religion, ethnicity and sexual orientation can seriously affect employees' physical and emotional well-being as well as their ability to work effectively.
	The Department is committed to achieving a working environment that is free from bullying and harassment and has made it clear to employees both through its statements and policies that it will not tolerate any form of harassment, discrimination and bullying in the workplace.
	The Department has in place clear and comprehensive policies concerning diversity and equality, harassment, discrimination and bullying and standards of behaviour. The policies promote diversity awareness, respect and inclusiveness, the standards of behaviour expected from employees, and provide guidance and processes to deal with incidents that arise.
	The Department's harassment, discrimination and bullying policy deals with all such complaints which include those made on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, religion or belief and age and gathers statistical information on these categories. The policy also details the roles and responsibilities of employees, managers and HR as well as the way that complaints are investigated.
	The Department also provides employees with access to professionally trained counsellors for harassment and bullying advice and support through its employee assistance programme.
	The Department's policies of diversity and equality have been issued to all employees and it recently launched a mandatory training programme for employees about anti-discrimination and promotion of equality legislation. The training includes robust messages about employee behaviour and standards on all equality issues including ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.
	The Department closely monitors the operation of its policies and reviews and revises as necessary on a regular basis.
	The Department has not allocated a budget specifically to fund these measures. They are viewed as an integral part of the Department's HR employee policy work and as such they are included in the core funding.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Accession Countries

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the impact on policy areas for which his Department has responsibility of EU accession states from  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2007.

Liam Byrne: Both during the 2004 EU accession process and in advance of the proposed 2007 EU accession, the Home Office has consulted widely on the impact accession could have on its policy areas. Representations have been sought and received from many interest groups, including local government, think-tanks, law enforcement authorities, educational bodies and UK embassies abroad which have contributed to policy development in this area. Details of all representations could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Accession Countries

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Romanian and Bulgarian nationals are entitled  (a) to work in the UK,  (b) to settle in the UK and  (c) to bring to the UK (i) spouses and (ii) other family members who are not EU nationals.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 25 October 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Accession Countries

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union on immigration to and crime in the United Kingdom.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Accession Countries

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has undertaken on the number of Turkish workers likely to come to work in the UK in the event of Turkish accession to the EU; and whether account is taken of potential migration in formulating UK policy on Turkish accession.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Accession Countries

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Written Ministerial Statement of 24 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 82-4WS, on Romania and Bulgaria, whether workers from Bulgaria and Romania coming to the UK as labour-only sub-contractors in the construction industry will be considered to be self-employed; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Accession Countries

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest estimate is of the number of migrant workers to the UK from Romania and Bulgaria upon their accession to the EU if no limits were placed on the levels of migration.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 23 October 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Accession Countries

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are being used by his Department in its formula to predict the estimated number of migrant workers to the UK from Romania and Bulgaria upon their accession to the EU.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 23 October 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Accession Countries

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of workers from EU countries who acceded in 2004 who came to the UK to work and who have subsequently left.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Accession Countries

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most recent forecast is of expected levels of immigration from Romania and Bulgaria following their accession to the European Union.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 17 October 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Accession Countries

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) assessed on managing the migration of Bulgarians and Romanians.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my right. hon. Friend with the information requested.

Accession Countries

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has commissioned into the number of citizens of Romania and Bulgaria likely to come to the UK to work following their accession to the EU in 2007; and whether he has made an estimate of the likely number based on that research.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Accession Countries

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 467W, on accession state workers, which division of his Department commissioned the Dustmann report; what the cost was; and whether his Department made any independent estimate of the number of workers from accession states who would come to the UK.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.

Accession Countries

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy is on limits on immigration from Romania and Bulgaria following their accession to the EU in January 2007.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 11 September 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Alcohol (Minors)

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much  (a) was committed and  (b) has been paid to local councils for trading standards campaigns against under-age drinking at the time of the Football World Cup competition.

John Reid: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Alcohol (Minors)

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding is available from his Department for local council trading standards' Christmas campaigns against under-age drinking.

John Reid: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Alcohol Sales

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the change in the volume of alcohol in the alcoholic drinks most commonly sold in licensed premises over the last 20 years.

Barry Gardiner: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has not made any estimates on the volume of alcohol in alcoholic drinks sold in licensed premises. However, information on the proportion of total beer by type is available in the British Beer and Pub Association Statistical Handbook 2006 (Table A14a) and is given in the following table. We do not have similar information for wine or spirit drinks. Information on the proportion of consumption of alcoholic drinks and the market share of the different types of spirit drinks are also available. These can be obtained from The Drink Pocket Book, (Various editions), A.C Nielsen.
	
		
			  Table 1: UK Beer Market by type of Beer: percentage of total UK beer sales 
			 Bitter Premium + Stout 
			   Dark mild  Bitter I  II  Bitter III  Stout  Lager I  II  Lager III  Lager no/low alcohol  Total draught 
			 1985 6.4 33.2 8.6 25.7 3.3  77.3 
			 1986 5.9 31.2 8.6 26.2 3.9  75.8 
			 1987 5.3 29.2 8.5 26.7 4.6  74.3 
			 1988 4.9 27.6 8.7 27.1 4.9 0.1 73.3 
			 1989 4.5 26.4 8.7 27.6 5.1 0.4 72.6 
			 1990 4.1 25.7 8.8 27.3 5.3 0.4 71.5 
			 1991 4.0 25.7 9.3 25.9 5.4 0.3 70.6 
			 1992 3.7 26.8 8.3 25.3 5.2 0.1 69.3 
			 1993 3.4 26.2 8.8 24.1 5.8 0.1 68.4 
			 1994 3.1 25.4 9.0 23.8 5.9  67.1 
			 1995 2.8 23.6 9.5 23.7 6.0  65.7 
			 1996 2.6 22.6 9.7 23.8 6.7  65.5 
			 1997 2.3 21.5 9.4 24.3 7.5  65.0 
			 1998 2.0 21.0 4.4 4.3 24.7 7.9  64.3 
			 1999 1.9 19.8 3.8 4.3 24.9 7.8  62.5 
			 2000 1.7 19.3 3.4 4.4 25.0 8.2  62.1 
			 2001 1.5 18.0 3.2 4.3 24.8 8.5  60.4 
			 2002 1.3 16.8 3.0 4.2 24.6 8.4  58.3 
			 2003 1.2 15.5 2.8 3.9 24.9 8.6  56.8 
			 2004 1.0 14.6 2.6 3.8 25.2 8.4  55.6 
			 2005 1.0 13.7 2.5 3.7 25.5 8.3  54.7 
			  Note: Definitions: Bitter I: 1.3 per cent. to 3.3 per cent. abv Bitter II: .4 per cent. to 4.1 per cent. abv Bitter III: 4.2 per cent. abv and above Lager I: 1.3 per cent. to 3.3 per cent. abv Lager II: 3.4 per cent. to 4.1 per cent. abv Lager III: 4.2 per cent. abv and above (per cent. abv = alcohol by volume)  Source: Table A14aBritish Beer and Pub Association Statistical Handbook 2006

Alcohol-related Crime

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the total cost of tackling alcohol-related crime in England and Wales in the last 12 months.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office cannot estimate the total cost of tackling alcohol-related crime in England and Wales in the last 12 months because, in addition to national campaigns, local police, trading standards and Government Offices have been carrying out their own local initiatives. To collate that information would involve disproportionate cost.

Anthony Pamnani

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who conducted his Department's inquiry into the allegations made by  The Sun newspaper relating to the allegations of Anthony Pamnani; and whether Mr. Pamnani was interviewed by the inquiry team.

Liam Byrne: The inquiry into the allegations made to  The Sun newspaper by Anthony Pamnani was conducted by Tim Gbedemah; a non-executive director of IND and was commissioned on 9 January.
	As stated in the inquiry report, Mr. Anthony Pamnani co-operated with the inquiry and was interviewed three times by Mr. Gbedemah, providing a signed statement of his allegations.
	The report has now been completed and is available in full via the IND internet site, www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk. A copy has also been laid in the House of Commons Library.

Anti-Semitic Crime

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives of the Jewish community to discuss anti-Semitic crimes; how many anti-Semitic crimes were committed in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Antisocial Behaviour

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Ministers and officials have  (a) met and  (b) requested briefings from (i) Southwark police, (ii) Southwark council, (iii) Southwark antisocial behaviour unit and (iv) the Home Office antisocial behaviour unit in relation to antisocial behaviour in the London borough of Southwark since May.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 6 December 2005
	Ministers and officials meet regularly with representatives of various organisations.

Armed Police

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many armed police officers are serving in each London borough.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

ASBOs

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the average cost of issuing an antisocial behaviour order.

John Reid: A Home Office study carried out in 2004 revealed that the average cost of obtaining an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) was 2,500. This is a substantial reduction compared to an earlier review of costs published in 2002, which indicated an average cost of 4,000 to 5,000.
	Costs have fallen as a result of increased efficiency as practitioners become more familiar with ASBOs, and the introduction of orders on conviction, which removes the need for separate hearings.
	The study found that, overall, police and local authorities using ASBOs find them cost-effective. The cost to society of not taking action against persistent antisocial behaviour is much higher.

ASBOs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in each London borough since their introduction.

Tony McNulty: A table giving the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued since their introduction, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, by the local government authority area in which prohibitions have been imposed, up to 30 September 2005 (latest available), can be found on the Crime Reduction website at
	www.crimereduction.gov.uk.

ASBOs

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in Norwich, North in each of the last three years.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Asylum/Immigration

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1667W, on asylum and immigration, how much compensation was paid by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to members of the public in each of the past five years.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Asylum/Immigration

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers who were required to report to  (a) police stations and  (b) Home Office reporting centres have failed to attend at least one reporting session since 1 January 2006.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Asylum/Immigration

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of asylum seekers was to each local authority in 2005-06; and what estimate he has made of the cost to each local authority in 2006-07.

John Reid: I will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Asylum/Immigration

Andrew Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for indefinite leave to remain were received in 2005-06; and how many were  (a) granted and  (b) refused.

Liam Byrne: A total of 126,699 applications for indefinite leave to remain were received by the Immigration Nationality Directorate's (IND) General Group between April 2005 and March 2006; of which 93,122 were granted indefinite leave to remain and 6,090 were refused.
	The figures refer to principal applicants only where the applicant applied to IND's General Group.
	This information should be treated as provisional management information and may be subject to change.

Asylum/Immigration

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what steps are in place to assess the numbers of those refused applicants for indefinite leave to remain who have not complied with the Home Office request that they leave the country voluntarily; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much time must lapse after a final refusal notification for indefinite leave to remain with no further rights of appeal before his Department considers the failed applicant to have not left the country voluntarily; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The Government adopt an intelligence- led approach to operations to tackle the activities of immigration offenders, including overstayers. As set out to Parliament on 25 July 2006, in the IND review, steps are in place to implement the development of intelligence-led exit controls and move to a point where we can identify all overstayers and take action against them.
	The length of time that lapses before an applicant, whose application for ILR has been refused and who has not left the country voluntarily and remains in the United Kingdom unlawfully, will depend on a number of factors, not least whether the person had valid leave of another description at the time of applying for ILR.

Asylum/Immigration

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has of the whereabouts and well-being of failed asylum seekers  (a) Ahmed Sharef and  (b) Mahde Mohammed following their enforced return to Iraq.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Asylum/Immigration

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were given  (a) discretionary leave and  (b) humanitarian protection to remain following a failed asylum application in each year since 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Asylum/Immigration

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the total annual cost of Government support to failed asylum seekers resident in the UK in each of the last nine years.

John Reid: holding answer 7 September 2006
	I will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Asylum/Immigration

George Mudie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of1 November 2006,  Official Report, column 496W, on asylum/immigration, what the date was of application of the last case decided upon in the week commencing 23 October 2006.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Asylum/Immigration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what plans the Government have to identify the number of illegal immigrants in the UK;
	(2)  what plans the Government have to identify the number of individuals who have been refused asylum and not deported.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Binge Drinking

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what methodology the Department uses to classify binge drinking.

Vernon Coaker: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Binge Drinking

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many binge drinkers there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by  (a) age and  (b) sex.

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.
	The information centre statistical bulletin on alcohol 2006 provides the following information on binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as drinking more than eight units of alcohol for men and six units for women in one day.
	
		
			  Men aged 16 and over who drank more than eight units on at least one day during the week prior to the interview 
			  Percentage 
			Ages 
			   Total  16-24  25-44  45-64  65 and over 
			 1998 22 39 29 17 4 
			 2000 21 36 26 16 5 
			 2001 21 36 28 15 5 
			 2002 21 34 27 17 4 
			 2003 23 35 30 19 5 
			 2004 23 33 31 18 6 
		
	
	
		
			  Women aged 16 and over who drank more than six units on at least one day during the week prior to the interview 
			  Percentage 
			Ages 
			   Total  16-24  25-44  45-64  65 and over 
			 1998 8 23 11 4 1 
			 2000 9 26 12 5 1 
			 2001 9 26 13 5 1 
			 2002 9 26 13 5 1 
			 2003 9 25 13 5 1 
			 2004 9 24 12 6 1 
			  Source: National statistics - The information centre - statistics on alcohol: England 2006.

Binge Drinking

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to reduce binge drinking.

Vernon Coaker: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

British Citizenship

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people applied for British citizenship in each year since 1997; and how many applications were granted.

Liam Byrne: Statistics on applications and grants of British Citizenship in the United Kingdom were published in table one of the Home Office statistical bulletin Persons Granted British Citizenship United Kingdom, 2005. This publication is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Bulgarian/Romanian Workers

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake a public debate before the Government decides whether to give citizens of Romania and Bulgaria free access to the UK labour market in 2007.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 11 September 2006
	I will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.

Bulgarian/Romanian Workers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of workers from  (a) Romania and  (b) Bulgaria who will come to work in the UK within six months of the accession of each country to the EU if no restrictions are put on such entry.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 11 September 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Bulgarian/Romanian Workers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies the Government have  (a) commissioned and  (b) assessed regarding the likely effect of Bulgarian and Romanian migrants on the UK labour market.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.

Bulgarian/Romanian Workers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the effect of Bulgarian and Romanian migrants on the UK skills shortage.

Liam Byrne: A number of representations have been received concerning labour market access for nationals of new, and future, member states of the European Union. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department set out the Government's policy on restricting access to the UK labour market in a written ministerial statement on 24 October.

Bulgarian/Romanian Workers

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what controls will be put in place to ensure that Bulgarian and Romanian self-employed workers seeking work in the UK  (a) in the construction industry and  (b) in other sectors meet the criteria of being self-employed.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Bulgarian/Romanian Workers

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what controls will be put in place to ensure that skilled Bulgarian and Romanian workers entering the UK will be able to be employed only where there are no suitable UK applicants.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Bulgarian/Romanian Workers

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what controls will be put in place to ensure that low skilled workers from Bulgaria and Romania permitted to enter the UK to work in agriculture and food processing are restricted to that type of work.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Bulgarian/Romanian Workers

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what controls will be put in place to ensure that building workers coming from Bulgaria and Romania under the highly skilled migrant workers programme have the requisite skills.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Bulgarian/Romanian Workers

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he had with  (a) local authorities,  (b) the Department of Communities and Local Government,  (c) the Local Government Association and  (d) HM Treasury prior to the decision to exempt the food processing and agricultural escorts from the work permit restrictions applying to Romania and Bulgaria on their accession to the EU from 1 January 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 1 November 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Captive Cars Programme

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evaluation he has made of the captive cars programme in the West Midlands; what plans he has to extend the initiative to other regions; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Citizenship Ceremony

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reason is for the length of time taken for Mr A. S. Chaumoo of Christchurch to receive an invitation to a citizenship ceremony.

Liam Byrne: As my answer contains personal information, I will communicate privately with the hon. Member.

CNOMIS IT Project

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the CNOMIS IT project for offender data management is  (a) on budget and  (b) on schedule.

John Reid: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Colnbrook Detention Centre

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detainees at Colnbrook Detention Centre have attempted suicide since 1 January; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Community Support Officers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional police community support officers are planned to be deployed to each district command unit within the Avon and Somerset constabulary area in  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Deployment of police community support officers within the Avon and Somerset constabulary area is a matter for the chief constable. The information is not collected centrally.

Community Support Officers

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of community support officers each police force in England and Wales will employ by  (a) April 2007 and  (b) March 2008 assuming that the national targets of 16,000 by April 2007 and 24,000 by March 2008 are met.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Community Support Officers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers there are; and how many new community support officers have completed training since 22 March 2006.

Tony McNulty: There were 6,769 full-time equivalent police community support officers in England and Wales as at 31 March 2006. These data are published in the most recent Police Service Strength bulletin which can be downloaded from:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1306.pdf
	Data on the number of new community support officers who have completed training are not collected centrally.

Consultants

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has spent on consultants employed to advise on reform of  (a) the Probation Service and  (b) the Prison Service in each of the last five years.

John Reid: I will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Control Orders

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the merits of providing that those who breach their control orders automatically lose their right to anonymity.

John Reid: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Correspondence

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Ilford, South of 5 October containing a copy of his previous letter of 23 May on the release of Mr Edwards;
	(2)  when he will reply to the letter of 23 May from the hon. Member for Ilford, South on the release of Mr. Edwards.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 19 October 2006
	I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 7 July 2006 from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire with regard to Mr. Roger Turner.

Liam Byrne: A letter was sent to the hon. Member on 27 October 2006 from the offices of Ukvisas regarding your correspondence.

Correspondence

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister for police and security will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for St. Albans, ref SA3180, dated 16 May.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Correspondence

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many items of correspondence have been received by his Department since 5 May 2005; and what percentage of correspondence received by his Department since 5 May 2005 was answered within 15 days of receipt.

Liam Byrne: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of 5 September 2006 from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood on behalf of Kaisha Dally-Lewis (Home Office Reference Numbers D2108650, D2090294 and D2080066).

Liam Byrne: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Covert Surveillance

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unlawful authorisations for covert surveillance by police officers have been made in the last two years.

Tony McNulty: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

CPS

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been handed to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police for prosecution in the last five years; and how many resulted in a prosecution being initiated.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Crime Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) violent crimes,  (b) vehicle thefts and  (c) burglaries there were in each authority in (i) England and Wales, (ii) each police authority area and (iii) each local authority area in each of the last 20 years; what the change in each was in each year; and what percentage of total crime figures was represented by each figure in each year.

Tony McNulty: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Crime Detection Rates

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the crime detection rates are for each police authority in England and Wales; what they were in  (a) 1979,  (b) 1981,  (c) 1985,  (d) 1987,  (e) 1989,  (f) 1991,  (g) 1992,  (h) 1997 and  (i) in each year from 1998 to 2003.

Tony McNulty: Detection rates are not available for the United Kingdom since data collected centrally are for England and Wales only. Available information is for 1991 onwards and given in the table.
	Significant changes in crime counting rules over the period since 1991 mean that detection rates are not comparable over this period. Further details can be found in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/06 which has been deposited in the Library.
	
		
			  Detection rate for each police force area in England and Wales: see notes for information on comparability of rates over time 
			   1991  1992  1997  1998-99  1999-2000 
			 Avon and Somerset 23 17 26 24 22 
			 Bedfordshire 19 20 35 33 25 
			 Cambridgeshire 36 27 27 29 25 
			 Cheshire 39 28 35 37 31 
			 Cleveland 33 31 24 23 22 
			 Cumbria 39 36 39 44 39 
			 Derbyshire 27 22 25 31 28 
			 Devon and Cornwall 29 18 32 36 35 
			 Dorset 41 32 29 31 26 
			 Durham 29 29 29 33 32 
			 Dyfed-Powys 49 51 58 69 65 
			 Essex 31 28 27 29 30 
			 Gloucestershire 35 24 24 31 30 
			 Greater Manchester 34 34 19 25 23 
			 Gwent 46 44 50 55 53 
			 Hampshire 28 26 30 35 32 
			 Hertfordshire 33 25 32 34 27 
			 Humberside 31 23 20 22 19 
			 Kent 22 27 30 34 33 
			 Lancashire 37 34 28 34 29 
			 Leicestershire 29 30 34 34 30 
			 Lincolnshire 46 38 46 40 28 
			 London, City of 20 20 26 33 32 
			 Merseyside 44 41 31 31 26 
			 Metropolitan Police 16 16 26 22 16 
			 Norfolk 36 34 37 37 30 
			 Northamptonshire 31 30 35 33 33 
			 Northumbria 34 16 25 30 31 
			 North Wales 36 33 32 43 36 
			 North Yorkshire 36 32 26 33 31 
			 Nottinghamshire 26 25 28 25 21 
			 South Wales 28 29 36 39 31 
			 South Yorkshire 35 26 29 32 25 
			 Staffordshire 37 30 35 32 22 
			 Suffolk 37 39 37 41 36 
			 Surrey 23 22 33 40 32 
			 Sussex 22 23 25 25 25 
			 Thames Valley 22 19 24 25 20 
			 Warwickshire 24 23 27 26 22 
			 West Mercia 35 34 28 34 29 
			 West Midlands 30 26 23 30 27 
			 West Yorkshire 27 25 27 27 25 
			 Wiltshire 40 37 32 38 33 
			 England and Wales 29 25 28 29 25 
		
	
	
		
			   2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2005-06 
			 Avon and Somerset 21 14 15 15 23 
			 Bedfordshire 27 25 26 23 25 
			 Cambridgeshire 24 22 22 23 27 
			 Cheshire 30 26 26 27 27 
			 Cleveland 21 20 23 21 30 
			 Cumbria 34 32 31 32 35 
			 Derbyshire 26 25 26 25 27 
			 Devon and Cornwall 34 32 29 29 28 
			 Dorset 25 27 25 26 30 
			 Durham 33 32 34 29 27 
			 Dyfed-Powys 63 64 68 47 45 
			 Essex 26 26 27 28 31 
			 Gloucestershire 32 30 29 28 32 
			 Greater Manchester 22 21 22 22 25 
			 Gwent 57 55 48 45 36 
			 Hampshire 29 29 30 27 24 
			 Hertfordshire 24 24 23 25 26 
			 Humberside 21 20 20 19 23 
			 Kent 28 28 28 25 26 
			 Lancashire 27 26 27 27 32 
			 Leicestershire 28 28 27 22 30 
			 Lincolnshire 25 27 23 22 26 
			 London, City of 27 34 36 33 43 
			 Merseyside 28 24 25 27 28 
			 Metropolitan Police 15 14 14 15 24 
			 Norfolk 26 25 24 26 31 
			 Northamptonshire 33 31 28 28 25 
			 Northumbria 31 31 31 30 35 
			 North Wales 31 28 29 33 43 
			 North Yorkshire 30 26 26 28 35 
			 Nottinghamshire 20 18 16 18 22 
			 South Wales 31 33 29 29 26 
			 South Yorkshire 25 23 21 24 27 
			 Staffordshire 23 20 31 33 35 
			 Suffolk 35 33 34 33 30 
			 Surrey 28 25 22 22 25 
			 Sussex 23 25 24 24 30 
			 Thames Valley 22 24 25 23 28 
			 Warwickshire 22 25 26 25 25 
			 West Mercia 28 28 33 31 34 
			 West Midlands 28 29 26 25 26 
			 West Yorkshire 23 19 20 20 28 
			 Wiltshire 29 30 28 28 32 
			 England and Wales 24 23 24 23 27 
			  Notes: 1. The expanded coverage of notifiable offences in 1998-99 means that detection rates are not comparable with earlier years, with this change thought to have had an effect in increasing detection rates overall, but reducing detection rates for violence. 2. Changes in guidance on counting detections were also introduced in April 1999, which is believed to have had an effect in reducing detection rates again making rates not comparable with previous years. 3. The National Crime Recording Standard in 2002-03 increased levels of recording of crime and it is thought to have reduced detection levels. 4. Rates quoted here relate to all detections, including non-judicial 'non-sanction' detections. Numbers of non-sanction detections have been found to vary widely between forces with some forces now recording very few non-sanction detections, reflecting an increasing emphasis by forces on securing sanction detections.

Criminal Records Bureau

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment the Government have made of the effect of records kept by the Criminal Records Bureau on the ability of those on whom records are kept  (a) to find employment and  (b) to adopt children; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ryan: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Criminal Records Bureau

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how unproven allegations of child abuse are recorded by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB); how many such allegations are on CRB records; what procedure there is for the removal of an unfounded allegation; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ryan: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Databases (Security Breaches)

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many confirmed security breaches of databases controlled by his Department occurred in each of the last five years; whether the breach resulted from internal or external sources in each case; how many records were compromised on each occasion; and what estimate was made of the total number of records accessible to the individuals concerned.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental Responsibilities

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what policy areas his Department  (a) is responsible and  (b) was responsible in 1997.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 5 June 2006
	The policy areas for which the Home Office is currently responsible are broadly: policing, security and community safety; offender management; the criminal justice system (trilateral responsibility together with the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Crown Prosecution Service); nationality, citizenship and immigration; and identity management.
	The Home Office's annual report for 1997 (Cm 3608) sets out the Department's policy areas as including those broad areas listed above but with additional responsibility for the promotion of equal opportunity and good community relations; fire safety, firefighting and emergency planning; and regulation of a number of matters including gambling, liquor licensing, Sunday trading and laboratory animal use.

Departmental Dress Code

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's policy is on the display of religious (i) artefacts, (ii) symbols and (iii) dress by its staff; how many staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this policy in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Public Sector Prison policy PSO 8800 Corporate image/uniform sets out the requirements for Prison Service Staff for appropriate dress codes as well as the dress policy in relation to religious attire. A copy of the policy will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
	Other areas of the Department do not have policies which restrict the wearing of religious artefacts, religious symbols or religious clothing. Corporate wear policies allow the wearing of clothing that reflects religious beliefs.
	There is no record in the Department of any disciplinary cases related to religious artefacts, symbols or dress by its staff.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has spent on taxis in the last 12 months.

Liam Byrne: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Mr. MacNeil) on 3 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 894-95W.

Departmental Expenditure

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on electricity in  (a) 2004-05 and  (b) 2005-06; and how much it has spent in 2006-07.

John Reid: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental Initiatives

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the departmental initiatives for each year since 2000 which required bids for funding from  (a) voluntary organisations and  (b) local authorities together with the total resource allocated to each initiative in each year; how many successful bids there were in each year; what proportion this figure represents of the total bids received; and what assessment he has made of the costs of (i) preparing bids for each initiative and (ii) assessing those bids.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of information technology projects undertaken by or for his Department since 2001 have been delivered  (a) over budget,  (b) after their original deadline,  (c) on budget,  (d) under budget,  (e) on their original deadline and  (f) ahead of their original deadline.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which web-related information technology projects cost his Department more than 50,000 since 2001; which companies submitted qualified tender proposals for each project; and which company was awarded each contract.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which non-web-related information technology projects cost his Department more than 1 million since 2001; how many qualified tender proposals there were for each project; and which company was awarded each contract.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has spent on  (a) information technology projects generally and  (b) for web facing projects in each year since 2001.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) information technology projects generally and  (b) web facing projects his Department has undertaken since 2001.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental Mail

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the Department's mail is shipped using private companies; and what the cost was over the last 12 months.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental Redundancies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many redundancies there were in his Department in each year since 1997; what the cost of such redundancies was in each such year; how many temporary staff were employed in each such year; and how many staff were seconded by outside organisations to within the Department in each such year.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental Staff

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of his Department's employees have been  (a) dismissed,  (b) suspended and  (c) subject to disciplinary action in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental Staff

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what quotas are set for the  (a) number of eligible people and  (b) proportion of pay budget in the (i) Immigration and National Directorate, (ii) National Offender Management Service, (iii) Identity and Passport Agency and (iv) Anti-Social Behaviour Unit in relation to bonus payments.

John Reid: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental Staff

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether bonus payments made to employees of the  (a) Immigration and Nationality Directorate,  (b) National Offender Management Service,  (c) Identity and Passport Agency and  (d) antisocial behaviour unit are based on (i) relative and (ii) absolute performance.

John Reid: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental Staff

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to determine bonus payments to employees of the  (a) Immigration and Nationality Directorate,  (b) National Offender Management Service,  (c) Identity and Passport Agency and  (d) Anti-Social Behaviour Unit.

John Reid: The Immigration Nationality Directorate, National Offender Management Service and Anti-Social Behaviour Unit are part of the non-Agency Home Office. Employees with the non-Agency Home Office are eligible to receive a performance bonus based upon the achievement of their work objectives over a reporting year. Only employees who are marked as exceptional and are assessed as exceeding their work objectives receive a 2 per cent. bonus of their target rate of pay for their grade.
	The non-Agency Home Office also operates a Special Bonus Scheme, which provides a prompt and tangible recognition of employees' achievement. Managers have a set budget of 0.3 per cent. of their paybill and can award payments up to 5 per cent. of the employees, grade pay range maximum. The rules governing the award of a special bonus are set out in a Home Office Notice (175/2002).
	The IPS operates a bonus scheme for senior managers based upon achievement of change targets. Change-related targets are set for IPS senior managers as part of the annual performance management process and assessment of achievements of the targets is made based upon line manager assessment, with oversight by a moderating group chaired by the chief executive.
	The Home Office also has a bonus scheme for senior civil servants. Remuneration of senior civil servants is set by the Prime Minister following independent advice from the Senior Salaries Review Body. Details are set out in the report of the Senior Salaries Review Body, Report No. 62, at paragraph 2.14.
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/performance/publications/pdf/28th_report.pdf

Departmental Staff

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) maximum budget available for and  (b) total amount of bonuses paid to employees was of the (i) immigration and nationality directorate, (ii) National Offender Management Service, (iii) Identity and Passport Agency and (iv) Antisocial Behaviour Unit in each year since 2001.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total workforce they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Departmental Travel

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by his Department on  (a) chartering aircraft and  (b) non-scheduled air travel, in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Deportations

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of his Department staff have been  (a) given a verbal warning,  (b) given a written warning,  (c) resigned,  (d) been dismissed and  (e) disciplined following the release of prisoners who should have been considered for deportation.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 8 May 2006
	I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Deportations

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals have been released from prison under the early release scheme; and how many of these were considered for deportation.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 3 May 2006
	I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Dispute Resolution

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what policies and procedures exist for resolving disputes involving  (a) his Department and  (b) other organisations for which he is accountable to Parliament by way of (i) mediation, (ii) neutral evaluation and (iii) other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

DNA Database

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of maintaining the DNA database has been in each year of its operation.

Joan Ryan: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

DNA Database

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many misclassifications have resulted from the use of the DNA database.

Joan Ryan: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

DNA Database

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of people on the DNA database have been convicted of a crime.

John Reid: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

DNA Database

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who had not been convicted of a criminal offence at the time their records were placed on the DNA database were subsequently convicted of a crime.

John Reid: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

DNA Database

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who have not been convicted of a criminal offence have had their records placed on the DNA database, broken down by police force.

John Reid: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

DNA Database

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminals convicted before the creation of the DNA database had given a DNA sample to police.

John Reid: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

DNA Database

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people's records were on the DNA database on 1 November 2006, broken down by police force.

John Reid: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

DNA Database

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) males and  (b) females aged (i) under 14, (ii) 15 to 24, (iii) 25 to 34, (iv) 35 to 44, (v) 45 to 54, (vi) 55 to 64 and (vii) over 65 years in each of the ethnic appearance categories were registered on the National DNA Database in each period for which figures are available.

Joan Ryan: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

DNA Database

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people registered on the National DNA Database were subsequently  (a) convicted,  (b) charged but not convicted and  (c) not convicted in relation to the events leading to the DNA sample being taken, broken down by (i) sex, (ii) age group and (iii) ethnicity category.

Joan Ryan: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Domestic Violence

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful prosecutions for domestic violence there were in each of the last 30 years.

Tony McNulty: The Crown Prosecution Service holds a record of the volume and outcome of prosecutions for domestic violence from the date of full implementation of the Compass Case Management System in 2004. No figures are held for periods before then. The number and proportion of convictions for domestic violence was as follows:
	
		
			   Number of defendants  Percentage of all outcomes for domestic violence 
			 2004-05 19,156 55.0 
			 2005-06 29,719 59.7 
			 2006-07(1) (To 3 November) 21,662 64.5

Drug Offences

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) arrests,  (b) convictions and  (c) cautions there were in each police authority area for offences relating to (i) the possession and (ii) dealing in class (A) A, (B) B and (C) C drugs in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: Arrests data for types of drug offences by class of drug are not collected centrally. Available information for England and Wales relates to the number of persons found guilty and cautioned under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and is shown in the tables which I will place in the House Library.
	Cannabis was reclassified as a class C drug in January 2004. For the purpose of this analysis, cannabis offenders are included within the class C figures for the entire period in question.
	Figures do not include police formal (street) warnings for cannabis possession, introduced in April 2004.

EC Treaty on Immigration and Asylum

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which measures were adopted under Title IV of the EC treaty on immigration and asylum which the UK has opted into.

Liam Byrne: For legislation opted into in the areas of asylum and immigration I refer the right hon. Member to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Des Browne) gave to him on 7 March, 2005,  Official Report, column 1596W, and to the answer that my right hon. Friend, the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire, South (Mr. Alexander) gave to the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) on 1 December 2005,  Official Report, column 737W, and to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) on 18 July 2006,  Official Report, column 405W. Of those measures opted-into, only the following have yet to be adopted by the EU;
	Proposal for a council decision on the establishment of a mutual information procedure concerning member states measures in the areas of asylum and immigration.
	Amendment to Council Regulation (EC) No. 1030/2002 of 13 June 2002 laying down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals.
	Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and the Council establishing the European Return Fund for the period 2007 to 2013 as part of the general programme Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows.
	Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and the Council establishing the European Refugee Fund for the period 2008 to 2013 as part of the general programme Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows.
	As at present, no further measures have been opted-into.

Electronic Tagging

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences have been committed by persons who were electronically tagged in each year since 2001, broken down by constabulary; and how many people committed such offences in each case.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table sets out the number of offenders who have been cautioned, convicted or are awaiting prosecution for offences committed while they were subject to the home detention curfew scheme, as currently notified to the National Offender Management Service. It also gives a breakdown of the number of offences committed, the number of offenders released during the period onto the HDC scheme, and shows the percentage of offenders who re-offended against the number on the scheme for each period. This information is not broken down by constabulary and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   Number of offenders cautioned convicted or awaiting prosecution for an offence committed while they were subject to the home detention curfew scheme  Total Number of offences committed by the offenders  Total Number placed on HDC  Re-offending as a percentage of numbers placed on the scheme 
			 2001-02 209 392 14,986 1.5 
			 2002-03 584 1,071 21,732 2.7 
			 2003-04 1,294 2,272 20,957 6.2 
			 2004-05 1,313 2,157 18,799 7 
			 2005-06 626 985 16,784 3.7 
		
	
	Information is not collected on further convictions for offenders subject to other electronic monitoring schemes apart from home detention curfew.

Electronic Tagging

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions electronic tagging has been subject to technical failure since its implementation.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data on this are incomplete. An accurate figure could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Engagements

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions he has visited  (a) Scotland and  (b) Northern Ireland in the course of his duties over the last 12 months.

Liam Byrne: The Home Secretary has visited Scotland five times and Northern Ireland once in the past 12 months.

Extradition

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by which country's officials the first draft of the extradition treaty was drawn up; and how many draft versions were discussed before a final text was agreed.

John Reid: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Extradition

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meetings were held at  (a) official level and  (b) ministerial level between his Department and the United States Administration to negotiate the US-UK Extradition Treaty 2003; and what the date of the first meeting was at each level.

John Reid: holding answer 30 October 2006
	There were two formal meetings between officials, the first one of which was 20-22 May 2002. Apart from these two meetings, there were also two meetings to discuss the mechanics of negotiations and signature, one before and one after the first meeting in May 2002.
	The signing ceremony on 31 March 2003 was the only formal meeting at ministerial level. The Ministers did meet on other occasions, but there is no record that they discussed the extradition treaty.

Feltham Young Offenders Institution

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of the re-locking exercise at HM Young Offender Institution Feltham following the key compromise situation on 29 June; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The cost of the re-lock is subject to ongoing litigation and it is not possible to state the final cost.

Foreign Criminals

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 29 June 2006,  Official Report, column 642W, on foreign criminals, in what part of the letter to the chairman of the Home Affairs Committee the information requested in the question is contained.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 10 July 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Foreign Criminals

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to deal with the work previously undertaken by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff transferred from asylum and managed migration work to dealing with foreign prisoners.

John Reid: I will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Foreign Criminals

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-EU foreign national prisoners were returned to their country of origin to complete their sentence in each of the last 10 years.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Foreign Criminals

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former foreign national prisoners remained  (a) to be located and  (b) to be deported on 31 August.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 11 September 2006
	The Director General of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) wrote to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 9 October 2006 and set out, in line with the Home Secretary's requirements, the most accurate data the Department currently holds on the 1,013 foreign national prisoner cohort released without due deportation consideration, and established the mechanism by which further reports will be presented to the House.

Foreign Criminals

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have absconded from Ford Prison in each month since 1 January; what category of offences had been committed by each of these prisoners; what the term of the prison sentence was in each case; on what date each absconded; and whether the prisoner remains at large in each case.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Gurkhas

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rules govern applications for  (a) leave to remain and  (b) British citizenship by Gurkha soldiers who have completed their service and entered the armed forces (i) after 1 July 1997 and (ii) before 1 July 1997.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 4 July 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Home Office Reform

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statements on the reform of his Department in July, who will assess whether his Department is fit for purpose; when this assessment will be made; and what criteria will be used to make the assessment.

John Reid: holding answer 11 September 2006
	I will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Human Trafficking

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of women trafficked into the UK and sold into the sex trade in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Identity Cards

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost has been of developing and researching the proposed identity cards scheme since the project's inception.

Joan Ryan: Since the start of the financial year 2003-04 58.2 million has been spent in total on the identity cards scheme up to the end of September 2006.

Illegal Working

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1783W to the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies) on illegal working, 
	(1)  what the nature is of the work undertaken illegally by  (a) failed and  (b) non-failed asylum seekers;
	(2)   (a) what frequency of illegal working took place and  (b) where they have taken place;
	(3)  if he will break down the numbers of offenders working illegally in the past five years by  (a) sex,  (b) country of origin and  (c) asylum seeker status.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Illegal Working

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure he will follow with Bulgarian or Romanian nationals issued with a fixed penalty notice for working illegally in the UK who  (a) cannot and  (b) do not pay.

John Reid: The Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations are currently in draft form and are due to be laid before Parliament later this month, for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament.
	These regulations will contain details of the appropriate powers and penalties applying in relation to illegally working Bulgarian and Romanian nationals and are due to come into force on 1 January 2007.
	We will announce the details of the fixed penalty arrangements when we lay the regulations before Parliament.

Illegal Working

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances he will have powers to seek to deport EU nationals who do not comply with the proposed working restrictions.

John Reid: Under existing EU law, the Secretary of State has the power to deport EU nationals in specified circumstances. The normal deportation powers applying to EEA nationals will be available in relation to Bulgarians and Romanians when they become EU citizens on 1 January 2007.

Immigration (Communications)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) (i) letters and (ii) emails were sent and  (b) telephone calls were made by each hon. Member and their staff to (A) the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and (B) the Minister for Immigration in the 12 months to 31 October 2006, ranked in descending order of total number of representations made; how many received a substantive reply in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration (Departmental Employees)

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants have been discovered to be employed by his Department in each year since 2001; in what capacities they were employed; how many were discovered as part of a criminal investigation; what the nature was of the charges brought against them; how many claimed asylum; how many were deported; how many remain in the country; from which countries they originated; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office currently employs over 70,000 people.
	Information is not held centrally on the numbers of illegal immigrants discovered to be employed by the Home Department since 2001 and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Immigration (Detainees)

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-criminal prisoners are currently detained under the Immigration Act 1971, broken down by the number of weeks they have been detained following the completion of their sentence.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 13 September 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration (Detainees)

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were detained under immigration legislation powers without a time limit or a requirement for judicial sanction in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what bonus payments were made to officials in the Immigration and Nationality Department in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 26 October 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate have  (a) received disciplinary warnings and  (b) been dismissed since 1999, broken down by offence.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the complaints made against Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff in Lunar House, Croydon since 14 March; and how many of those complaints resulted in  (a) an investigation and  (b) disciplinary action.

John Reid: I will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were made by  (a) applicants and  (b) colleagues against Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff in (i) Lunar House, Croydon, and (ii) other IND offices in each year since 1997; and how many of those complaints concerned behaviour of a sexual nature in each year.

John Reid: I will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employees of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate have  (a) resigned and  (b) been sacked due to allegations of impropriety in each of the last three years.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many internal investigations into staff conduct have been carried out by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each of the last five years; and what the outcome was in each case.

John Reid: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of applicant files were lost by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each of the last three years.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people employed  (a) directly and  (b) indirectly by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate have been (i) dismissed and (ii) disciplined for (A) breaches of conduct, (B) improper behaviour and (C) corruption since 1 May.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether  (a) criminal charges and  (b) disciplinary action have been brought against any Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff in relation to claims made by James Dawute.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether criminal charges have been brought against James Dawute in respect of incidents while he was a chief immigration officer.

Liam Byrne: A criminal investigation carried out by the Police and the IND Security and Anti-Corruption Unit is ongoing.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department undertook an investigation into James Dawute's  (a) immigration status,  (b) appointment and  (c) subsequent promotion within the Department.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration Service

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral statement of 25 July 2006, on the Immigration Service,  Official Report, columns 735-752, how many failed asylum seekers he expects his Department to deport in each of the next five years.

John Reid: I will write to right hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration Service

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral statement of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 735-52, on the Immigration Service, what progress has been made in dealing with the backlog of failed asylum seekers; what his most recent estimate is of the number of failed asylum seekers in the UK; and how many failed asylum seekers have been  (a) identified and  (b) removed since 25 July.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration Service

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who conducted his Department's inquiry into the allegations made by  The Observer newspaper relating to the actions of Mr. Dawute; and what the remit was of the inquiry.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 30 October 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Immigration Service

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take into account the actions of the person who exposed the actions of James Dawute when considering the resolution of her immigration or asylum status.

Liam Byrne: All asylum and human rights applications are considered by the Home Office on their individual merits, in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights and against the background of the latest available objective country of origin information. Any other application for leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom will be considered in accordance with the appropriate section of the Immigration Rules.

Immigration Service

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have signed memoranda of understanding with the Immigration Service agreeing to hold detainees of the Immigration Service when needed; and how many Immigration Service detainees were held in police cells in each police force in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Independent Monitoring Board

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what performance standards govern the work of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB); and if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the IMB.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Internet Viruses

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many internet worms have  (a) affected and  (b) damaged (i) Government, (ii) business and (iii) private IT infrastructure since 2000.

Liam Byrne: This information is not held centrally.

Irish Nationals (Deportation)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many Irish nationals are being detained awaiting deportation;
	(2)  what discussions his Department has had with the Irish Government concerning Irish nationals who have been deported from this country returning to the UK.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which information technology projects are being undertaken by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies; what the (i) start date, (ii) original planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) originally planned costs and (v) estimated costs are of each; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

IT Projects

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) of 18 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1302W, on IT projects, what expenditure on identity cards was included in the estimate of 1.84 billion for the project; and what proportion this represented of the total estimated loss of the project.

John Reid: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Juvenile Offenders

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many first time juvenile offenders received custodial sentences in each of the last three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is not available.
	The most recent figures for all juvenile offenders receiving custodial sentences were published in October 2006 in the Sentencing Statistics Quarterly Brief, England and Wales, October to December 2005. The report is available online at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/sentq405.pdf
	The information can be found in tables 1 and 2.

Juvenile Offenders

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the lowest category of offence is for which a juvenile first time offender can be sentenced to a custodial sentence under the sentencing guidelines;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the extent to which the sentencing guidelines on first time juvenile offenders convicted of  (a) affray and  (b) actual bodily harm provide sufficient discretion for judges.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Leave to Remain

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the policy review of the practice of giving two months discretionary leave to remain to any citizen who cannot provide evidence of existing leave to remain at a port of entry to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Leave to Remain

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have made representations about their leave to remain rights having been granted a valid work permit since the change of system from unified work permit and stay visa application to separate applications for each; how his officials deal with such enquiries; if he will instruct his officials to take account of potential confusions following the change of system when permission to stay is being considered; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Leave to Remain

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were given  (a) discretionary leave and  (b) humanitarian protection to remain in each year since 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Leave to Remain

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were granted exceptional leave to remain in each year between 1997 and 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ban fundraising networks in the United Kingdom that are associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

London Bombings

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those most seriously injured as a result of the terrorist attack on 7 July 2005 are still waiting for a full settlement from the Criminal Inquiries Compensation Authority.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 16 October 2006
	As advised on 4 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1051W, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) have received 17 applications from victims of the London bombings whose injuries can be described as very serious, involving loss of one or more limbs, loss of an eye and serious burns to extensive areas of the body.
	CICA have made final awards of compensation in two of these cases. In the other 15 cases, where awards cannot be finalised because the final medical prognosis remains uncertain and the final position regarding claims for loss of earnings and special expenses has yet to be established, substantial interim awards have been paid.

London Bombings

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum sum is which has been awarded by the Criminal Inquiries Compensation Authority to those most seriously injured on 7 July 2005; and whether any higher sum is expected to be awarded.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 16 October 2006
	The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) advise that the highest compensation award paid so far in respect of applications arising from the London Bombings is 152,050. They have also made several interim awards in excess of 100,000 where the injuries are extremely serious, the final medical prognosis is uncertain and the final position regarding loss of earnings and special expenses has yet to be established. Once these claims have been finally assessed, CICA expect several awards will be in excess of the highest award paid to date.

Louise Casey

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent comments by Louise Casey, head of the antisocial behaviour unit, on Government measures to cut binge drinking.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Lyons Review

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many jobs in his Department have been relocated  (a) to Liverpool and  (b) elsewhere as a result of the Lyons Review; and on how many occasions Liverpool has been considered for relocation of staff under this programme.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 7 November 2006
	It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Migration

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to introduce each tier of the points-based system for managed migration.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 13 September 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Migration

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many migrants have been accepted for settlement in the UK in each of the last 30 years.

Liam Byrne: The requested information is published in Table 5.7 in the Command Paper Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 20052. This publication is available from the Library of the House and via the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1 .html.

Miles Per Hour 2006 Show

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost was of  (a) the Metropolitan Police Traffic Operational Command Unit's exhibit at the Miles Per Hour 2006 show at Earl's Court and  (b) purchasing or hiring, repainting and displaying a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 at this exhibit.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Mini Motos

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with  (a) the British Motorcyclists Federation and  (b) the Motorcycle Industry Association on tackling public nuisance involving mini motos; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Ministerial Travel

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to offset the carbon dioxide emissions caused by ministerial travel in his Department.

Liam Byrne: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Muslim Council of Britain

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much  (a) financial support and  (b) support in kind his Department and its agencies has given to the Muslim Council of Britain in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Muslim Dress

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the wearing of  (a) the niqab,  (b) the chador and  (c) the burka by members of the public during interviews with (i) police officers, (ii) probation officers, (iii) prison officers and (iv) immigration officers; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The information is as follows:
	 (i) Police officers
	Those in the office of constable must observe the requirements of the Codes of Practice under The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 governing the removal of headgear a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
	 (ii) Probation Officers
	There is no central guidance issued to probation staff by the national probation directorate on the interviewing of members of the public and their dress.
	 (iii) Prison Officers
	Prison Officers do not interview members of the public. Visitors to prisons may wear these items during their visits although they may be required to remove them briefly (in private in the presence of a female officer) to enable their identity to be confirmed or in the course of searching to ensure that no weapon or contraband is concealed.
	 (iv) Immigration officers
	In accordance with the Immigration Act 1971 all persons arriving in the United Kingdom must satisfy an immigration officer as to their nationality and identity. The instructions for those subject to further examination/inquiries are the same as they are for arriving passengers on the immigration control. The examining officer will reserve the right to ask the passenger to remove the veil to confirm identity. If a person wearing a veil or other garment concealing their face is not content to reveal their face at the immigration control, they will be taken to a private area, where in the case of a woman, a female immigration officer will ask them to lift their veil.

National Infrastructure Co-ordination Centre

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many electronic attacks were reported by the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre on critical national infrastructure in each of the past two years.

Tony McNulty: It is not NISCC's function to report attacks.

National Infrastructure Co-ordination Centre

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alerts have been put out by the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre in the last 12 months.

Tony McNulty: The National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) issues a variety of advisory products ranging from detailed Technical Notes through Vulnerability Advice Notes to Alerts and Briefings. Alerts are issued infrequently and contain information which should be acted upon immediately. All NISCC's published advice, including alerts, briefings, technical notes and vulnerability advisories is available on the NISCC website.
	During the last 12 months NISCC has published six alerts, 851 advisories and briefings, and nine Vulnerability Advice Notes.

National Technical Assistance Centre

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was allocated to the National Technical Assistance Centre in each of the last five years.

Ian McCartney: I have been asked to reply.
	It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Non-emergency Telephone Number

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish a report of the trials into a national non-emergency telephone number; what the cost of those trials has been; and whether the Government plan to introduce a national non-emergency telephone number.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Open Prisons

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have absconded from each open prison in England in each month from October 2005 to October 2006.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Operation Pentameter

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Operation Pentameter.

Vernon Coaker: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Operation Safeguard

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police cells will be used in Kettering for Operation Safeguard; and for how long.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 17 October 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Operation Safeguard

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency plans are in place to cover police officers who exercise their right not to accept additional gaoler duties under Operation Safeguard.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 30 October 2006
	The arrangements for implementing Operation Safeguard are a matter for the chief constables of the forces concerned.

Operation Safeguard

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse has been to date of Operation Safeguard; what estimate he has made of the total cost of the operation; and when it will come to an end.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those occasions when the recommendations of a report from the Parliamentary Ombudsman have been  (a) rejected and  (b) partly rejected by his Department since 1997.

Tony McNulty: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Parliamentary Questions

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the question from the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey, reference number 35283, tabled on 1 December 2005.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 1 March 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Parliamentary Questions

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the question 35283 from the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey, tabled on 1 December 2005 and question 54807, tabled on 24 February 2006.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 28 March 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Parliamentary Questions

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to questions  (a) (i) 77442, 77444, 77446 and 77443, on prisoners and (ii) 77445, on legislation, tabled on 8 June,  (b) 67686, on deportations, tabled on 25 April and  (c) 63082, on prisoners, tabled on 28 March from the hon. and learned Member for Harborough.

Liam Byrne: The information is as follows:
	77445 was answered on 7 November 2006, no  Hansard reference is available yet.
	77442 and 77443 were answered on 2 October 2006,  Official Report, column 2651W.
	77444 was answered on 6 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1335W.
	77446 was answered on 29 June 2006,  Official Report, column 636W.
	67686 was answered on 29 June 2006,  Official Report, column 646W.
	63082 was answered on 4 July 2006,  Official Report, column 705W.

Parliamentary Questions

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer written parliamentary questions  (a) 82963, on foreign nationals in the British armed forces, tabled by the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife for answer on 6 July, and  (b) (i) 82374 and (ii) 82372, on the British Army, tabled by the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife for answer on 4 July.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 20 July 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member regarding 82963 and 82374 and place a copy of my reply in the Library.
	I replied to 82372 on 5 September 2006,  Official Report, column 2222W.

Parliamentary Questions

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to question  (a) 75771,  (b) 75774 and  (c) 75787, on asylum seekers, tabled by the hon. Member for Ashford for answer on 7 June 2006.

Liam Byrne: The information is as follows:
	 (a) I will write to the hon. Member regarding 75771 and place a copy of my reply in the Library.
	 (b) 75787 was answered on 18 July 2006,  Official Report, column 397W.
	 (c) 75774 was answered on 18 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1286W.

Parliamentary Questions

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to question 77445, on Acts for which his Department has responsibility, tabled on 8 June by the hon. Member for Harborough.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 11 September 2006
	I replied to the hon. Member on 7 November 2006. No  Hansard reference is available yet.

Parliamentary Questions

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to answer Questions  (a) (i) 82236, tabled on 28 June 2006 and (ii) 90828, tabled on 4 September 2006, on Parliamentary questions,  (b) 77445, tabled on 8 June 2006, on Acts for which his Department has responsibility,  (c) 90855, tabled on 4 September 2006, on prison overcrowding,  (d) 86400, tabled on 13 July 2006, on HMP Brixton,  (e) 83355, tabled on 4 July 2006, on prisons and prisoners,  (f) 81203, tabled on 26 June 2006, on prison cells and  (g) 80612, tabled on 22 June 2006, on official meetings, tabled by the hon. Member for Harborough.

Tony McNulty: The information is as follows:
	82236 was answered on 8 November 2006, no  Official Report reference is available yet.
	90828 was answered on 8 November 2006, no  Official Report reference is available yet.
	77445 was answered on 7 November 2006, no  Official Report reference is available yet.
	I will write to the hon. and learned Member regarding 90855 and place a copy of my reply in the Library.
	86400 was answered on 4 November 2006,  Official Report, column 514W.
	83355 was answered on 26 October 2006,  Official Report, column 2137W.
	81203 was answered on 26 October 2006,  Official Report, column 2137W.
	80612 was answered on 6 November 2006, no  Official Report reference is available yet.

Parliamentary Questions

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1459W, on the police, if he will answer the second and third parts of the question.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 30 October 2006
	Information on the opinion polling undertaken by police forces or police authorities, including the costs of such polling, is not held centrally by the Home Office.

Parliamentary Questions

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to parliamentary questions  (a) 95907,  (b) 95910,  (c) 95911 and  (d) 95909, on control orders, tabled by the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden for answer on 20 October.

John Reid: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reply before the end of the session to Question 92421, on police secondments, tabled by the hon. Member for Thurrock on 6 October; and what the reason has been for the delay in replying.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Peterborough Drug Intervention Programme

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug users are registered with the Peterborough Drug Intervention programme.

Vernon Coaker: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Police

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent police officers there were  (a) in total,  (b) in each region and  (c) in each police authority area in each of the last 30 years; and what the percentage change was in each year.

Tony McNulty: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Police

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) requirement is placed on and  (b) guidance is offered to chief constables on the training of officers to interview vulnerable people making allegations of (i) sexual or (ii) other abuse; and how many officers in each police force have received such training.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 31 October 2006
	Chief officers are responsible for determining the training needs of their officers and staff in conducting interviews with vulnerable people. However, they do this within a framework of national guidance.

Police

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects arbitration for the police pay award to be concluded.

Tony McNulty: On 6 November the Home Secretary announced that he will implement the Police Arbitration Tribunal award for the 2006 police officer pay settlement in full.

Police

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to restart negotiations on re-structuring police pay; and when he expects the settlement of that pay through the Police Negotiating Board.

Tony McNulty: On 6 November the Home Secretary announced that he will implement the Police Arbitration Tribunal award for the 2006 police officer pay settlement in full. The Home Secretary also announced that we will review the current arrangements for police pay and that he will make a statement to the House on the basis for that review shortly.

Police

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) full-time male,  (b) full-time female,  (c) part-time male and  (d) part-time female police officers are in employment, broken down by police force.

Tony McNulty: The available data are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Full-time and Part-time police officer strength by gender as  at 31 March 2006 
			  Headcount( 1) 
			   Female  Male 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Full-time  Part-time 
			 Avon and Somerset 636 137 2,711 11 
			 Bedfordshire 273 47 919 3 
			 Cambridgeshire 307 34 1,118 2 
			 Cheshire 442 77 1,722 0 
			 Cleveland 300 55 1,360 3 
			 Cumbria 294 67 923 5 
			 Derbyshire 362 85 1,644 9 
			 Devon and Cornwall 674 180 2,732 19 
			 Dorset 260 80 1,197 4 
			 Durham 360 46 1,320 3 
			 Dyfed-Powys 218 50 938 7 
			 Essex 714 119 2,503 38 
			 Gloucestershire 240 84 1,005 7 
			 Greater Manchester 1,700 211 6,208 11 
			 Gwent 283 48 1,148 4 
			 Hampshire 844 151 2,854 9 
			 Hertfordshire 517 102 1,573 8 
			 Humberside 426 101 1,737 4 
			 Kent 770 151 2,768 15 
			 Lancashire 732 122 2,812 8 
			 Leicestershire 434 63 1,793 10 
			 Lincolnshire 225 28 988 4 
			 London, City of 169 17 693 3 
			 Merseyside 794 101 3,433 10 
			 Metropolitan Police 5,617 956 24,631 122 
			 Norfolk 277 76 1,249 4 
			 Northamptonshire 273 66 1,011 15 
			 Northumbria 742 126 3,229 8 
			 North Wales 336 36 1,274 1 
			 North Yorkshire 347 45 1,275 1 
			 Nottinghamshire 424 96 2,016 8 
			 South Wales 627 92 2,613 2 
			 South Yorkshire 691 104 2,539 7 
			 Staffordshire 442 106 1,789 3 
			 Suffolk 259 69 993 7 
			 Surrey 474 74 1,442 6 
			 Sussex(2) 606 177 n/a n/a 
			 Thames Valley 965 140 3,219 21 
			 Warwickshire 212 31 807 0 
			 West Mercia 484 84 1,838 4 
			 West Midlands 1,913 339 6,039 25 
			 West Yorkshire 1,216 224 4,299 16 
			 Wiltshire 279 57 924 7 
			 (1) Headcount figures relate to the total number of individuals employed by the police including those on long-term or other absence. (2) Breakdown of data are not available for male officers in Sussex, the total headcount is 2,404 officers.

Police

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what national police responsibilities are tasked to Northumbria constabulary.

Tony McNulty: My hon. Friend's request has been formally passed to the chief officer of Northumbria police to respond to him direct.

Police

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of neighbourhood policing in Sunderland.

Tony McNulty: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Police

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many call cases are under examination by the police.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Police

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by all police forces in England on interpreters in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Police

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when information and communication technology infrastructure will be standardised across police authorities.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Police

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Public Services Union on the use of volunteers by the Metropolitan police.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Police

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serving police officers have been  (a) prosecuted and  (b) convicted of a criminal offence in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) sex, (ii) age and (iii) police force; and how many (A) were suspended from duty, (B) were demoted, (C) were dismissed and (D) received a police caution.

Tony McNulty: The Independent Police Complaints Commission is responsible for the management of the police complaints system.
	I will ensure that the chairman receives a copy of the question and replies to the hon. Member directly.
	Copies of the letter containing the IPCC's response will be placed in the House Library.

Police

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recruitment guidelines are issued to police forces on  (a) gender,  (b) ethnic origin,  (c) sexual orientation and  (d) social class to ensure that local police forces reflect the population they serve.

Tony McNulty: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Police

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the ratio of regular police officers to residents is in each London borough.

Tony McNulty: Statistics of police officer strength per 100,000 resident population by London borough as at 31 March 2006 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Police officer strength (FTE)( 1)  per 100,000 resident population for London boroughs as at 31 March 2006( 2) 
			  Borough  Police officer strength per 100,000 residents 
			 Barking and Dagenham 259 
			 Barnet 170 
			 Bexley 165 
			 Bishopsgate(3) 11,371 
			 Brent 249 
			 Bromley 162 
			 Camden 345 
			 Croydon 204 
			 Ealing 222 
			 Enfield 200 
			 Greenwich 273 
			 Hackney 370 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 313 
			 Haringey 319 
			 Harrow 164 
			 Havering 169 
			 Hillingdon 204 
			 Hounslow 236 
			 Islington 381 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 312 
			 Kingston upon Thames 202 
			 Lambeth 371 
			 Lewisham 263 
			 Merton 184 
			 Newham 315 
			 Redbridge 191 
			 Richmond upon Thames 161 
			 Snowhill(3) 3,324 
			 Southwark 343 
			 Sutton 261 
			 Tower Hamlets 370 
			 Waltham Forest 250 
			 Wandsworth 219 
			 Westminster, City of 683 
			 (1) Full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (2) Population data at the Basic Command Unit/borough level are taken from mid-2004 Population Estimates (ONS). (3) Caution should be exercised; the City of London has so few residents the comparative police strength appears inflated.

Police Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual budget for the Police Service in  (a) England and Wales and  (b) each police authority area was in each of the last 30 years; and what the percentage change was in each year.

Tony McNulty: Consistent information is only available from 1995-96 I have placed the available information in the Library of the House.

Police Force Mergers

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when compensation will be paid to the Cumbrian police authority to cover the costs of the aborted merger plans.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Police Force Mergers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of the recent plans to merge a number of the UK's police forces; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made on 30 October,  Official Report, column 3WS.

Politically Motivated Crime

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been issued to police officers on what material can be defined as politically motivated under the Serious and Organised Crime Act 2005.

Tony McNulty: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Prisoners' Property

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenses will be paid to prisoners discharged by a court when they have to return to the prison where they had been held to reclaim their property.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 6 November 2006
	Where a prisoner's property does not accompany them to court, the prison will arrange for it to be sent to them in the event of their discharge.

Prisons

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has decided how many adult offenders will be released early to ease prison overcrowding; and how he plans to stop the prison estate exceeding its total operational capacity before the planned 8,000 new places become available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 11 September 2006
	 I will write to the hon. and learned Member with the information requested.

Prisons

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) prisoner on prisoner and  (b) prisoner on officer assaults were recorded in each of the last 10 years, broken down by prison establishment.

John Reid: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Prisons

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for compensation have been received from foreign national prisoners who were detained awaiting deportation after serving their sentence.

John Reid: The Treasury Solicitor's Department is responsible for dealing with such claims on behalf of the Department.
	I understand that current provisional management information shows that there are 18 ongoing claims which have been received since the start of the current financial year. No conclusions can be drawn at this stage about the outcome of these cases although we will seek to contest all claims robustly.

Prisons

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many escapes from prison occurred in each police district in each year since 2000.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information is only available for financial years. The details requested are in the following table.
	
		
			  Escapes from prisons by police district 1999-2000 to 2005-06 
			  Police district where escape made  Number of escapes 
			  1999-2000  
			 Durham 2 
			 Staffordshire 1 
			 Cumbria 1 
			 Suffolk 3 
			 Thames Valley 1 
			 South Yorkshire 8 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 
			 Merseyside 1 
			 Hertfordshire 1 
			 South Wales 1 
			 Cheshire 6 
			 Kent 3 
			 Leicestershire 1 
			 Total 30 
			   
			  2000-01  
			 Kent 1 
			 Staffordshire 1 
			 Surrey 1 
			 Wiltshire 1 
			 Dorset 3 
			 Cleveland 1 
			 Lancashire 1 
			 Metropolitan 1 
			 Cheshire 1 
			 Total 11 
			   
			  2001-02  
			 South Yorkshire 1 
			 Wiltshire 1 
			 Metropolitan 1 
			 Thames Valley 3 
			 Dorset 4 
			 Norfolk 1 
			 Northamptonshire 2 
			 West Yorkshire 1 
			 Hampshire 1 
			 Total 15 
			   
			  2002-03  
			 Metropolitan 1 
			 South Wales 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 
			 Norfolk 1 
			 Dorset 1 
			 Total 5 
			   
			  2003-04  
			 Staffordshire 4 
			 Thames Valley 1 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2 
			 Leicestershire 1 
			 Sough Yorkshire 1 
			 South Wales 1 
			 Total 10 
			  2004-05  
			 Cumbria 2 
			 Metropolitan 1 
			 Staffordshire 4 
			 Dorset 5 
			 Total 12 
			   
			  2005-06  
			 Cumbria 1 
			 Dorset 2 
			 Total 3

Prisons

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce overcrowding in Chelmsford Prison.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 23 October 2006
	There are no plans to reduce Chelmsford's operational capacity.

Prisons

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on average on catering per prisoner per day in  (a) each prison and  (b) each young offenders institution in England in the last period for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table shows the estimated costs that can be directly attributed to the cost of catering per prisoner per day for 2005-06 for all public sector establishments in England and Wales. The figures include items such as the cost of food and catering staff wages.
	Information about the cost of catering in establishments operated by the contracted sector is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Estimated average direct costs of catering per prisoner per day 
			  Establishment   
			 Acklington 3.45 
			 Albany 2.60 
			 Ashwell 3.66 
			 Askham Grange 6.35 
			 Aylesbury(1) 4.17 
			 Bedford 4.37 
			 Belmarsh 4.15 
			 Birmingham 3.23 
			 Blakenhurst 3.12 
			 Blantyre House 5.69 
			 Blundeston 4.38 
			 Brinsford(1) 4.19 
			 Bristol 3.84 
			 Brixton 3.77 
			 Brockhill 6.70 
			 Buckley Hall 2.20 
			 Bullingdon 2.19 
			 Bullwood Hall 5.47 
			 Camp Hill 2.47 
			 Canterbury 4.73 
			 Cardiff 3.69 
			 Castington(1) 5.14 
			 Channings Wood 3.72 
			 Chelmsford 4.55 
			 Coldingley 3.66 
			 Dartmoor 3.75 
			 Deerbolt(1) 4.37 
			 Dorchester 4.66 
			 Dover(2) 14.80 
			 Downview 4.18 
			 Drake Hall 5.82 
			 Durham 3.43 
			 East Sutton Park 7.90 
			 Eastwood Park 5.35 
			 Edmunds Hill 0.53 
			 Elmley (including Standford Hill) 5.27 
			 Erlestoke 4.15 
			 Everthorpe 3.46 
			 Exeter 3.92 
			 Featherstone 3.53 
			 Feltham(1) 5.83 
			 Ford 3.61 
			 Foston Hall 4.92 
			 Frankland 4.38 
			 Full Sutton 4.48 
			 Garth 3.97 
			 Gartree 4.40 
			 Glen Parva(1) 4.09 
			 Gloucester 4.71 
			 Grendon/Spring Hill 5.14 
			 Guys Marsh 3.81 
			 Haslar(3) 9.22 
			 Haverigg 4.56 
			 Hewell Grange 7.19 
			 High Down 4.10 
			 Highpoint and Edmunds Hill 4.89 
			 Hindley(1) 5.49 
			 Hollesley Bay 6.32 
			 Holloway 5.10 
			 Holme House 2.33 
			 Hull 3.94 
			 Huntercombe(1) 6.20 
			 Kingston 5.41 
			 Kirkham 5.45 
			 Kirklevington 4.62 
			 Lancaster 6.12 
			 Lancaster Farms 2.86 
			 Latchmere House 4.20 
			 Leeds 3.57 
			 Leicester 5.05 
			 Lewes 4.09 
			 Leyhill 4.90 
			 Lincoln 3.97 
			 Lindholme 3.46 
			 Littlehey 3.38 
			 Liverpool 3.34 
			 Long Lartin 5.17 
			 Low Newton 6.29 
			 Maidstone 3.57 
			 Manchester 3.93 
			 Moorland (closed) 4.19 
			 Moorland (open) 2.96 
			 Morton Hall 4.17 
			 Mount 3.59 
			 New Hall 5.10 
			 North Sea Camp 5.37 
			 Northallerton(1) 4.26 
			 Norwich 3.40 
			 Nottingham 4.22 
			 Onley(1) 4.33 
			 Parkhurst 6.25 
			 Pentonville 3.33 
			 Portland(1) 4.42 
			 Preston 4.60 
			 Ranby 3.86 
			 Reading(1) 2.44 
			 Risley 3.29 
			 Rochester(1) and Cookham Wood 4.92 
			 Send 5.69 
			 Shepton Mallet 5.37 
			 Shrewsbury 4.23 
			 Stafford 3.31 
			 Standford Hill (4) 
			 Stocken 3.90 
			 Stoke Heath(1) 3.81 
			 Styal 4.74 
			 Sudbury 3.60 
			 Swaleside 3.69 
			 Swansea 3.75 
			 SwinfenHall(1) 4.16 
			 Thorn Cross 5.03 
			 Usk/Prescoed 4.08 
			 Verne 3.62 
			 Wakefield 3.18 
			 Wandsworth 3.26 
			 Warren Hill 2.11 
			 Wayland 3.91 
			 Wealstun 4.40 
			 Wellingborough 3.91 
			 Werrington(1) 6.73 
			 Wetherby(1) 4.76 
			 Whatton 3.22 
			 Whitemoor 4.85 
			 Winchester 4.07 
			 Woodhill 2.75 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 3.55 
			 Wymott 3.73 
			 (1) Young offender institutions (2) This establishment is run by the public Prison Service holding appellant and failed asylum seekers in secure conditions for the immigration Service. The implications of this are that detainees are not required to 'work' and they therefore incur higher staffing costs to supplement the shortage of labour. (3) This establishment is run by the public Prison Service holding appellant and failed asylum seekers in secure conditions for the Immigration Service. The implications of this are that detainees are not required to 'work' and they therefore incur higher staffing costs to supplement the shortage of prisoner labour. (4) See 'Elmley'

Prisons

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for the expansion of the prison estate.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Home Office and Treasury Ministers have frequent discussions on a wide range of issues.

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons employ co-ordinating chaplains; on which pay band each is employed; when each was appointed; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 31 October 2006
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 24 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1813. Subject to the usual pattern of staff turnover, all prisons will employ a chaplain who undertakes the co-ordinating role. The position is broadly similar in contracted-out prisons although titles, pay scales and roles may differ slightly. There is no central record of when each co-ordinating chaplain was appointed to the role. Of those currently in the role in public sector prisons, 101 are in chaplain pay band one, three in chaplain pay band two, and 12 remain in the former grade of chaplain. A small number of co-ordinating chaplain roles will be vacant, or filled on a temporary basis, and some operating with multiple sites. Whilst this information is derived from the payroll and personnel databases, it is liable to the usual inaccuracies expected in any large-scale reporting system.

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the average time taken to complete a prison cell searching risk assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There is no prison cell searching risk assessment. Cell searching is carried out in accordance with prison rules, national Prison Service policy and prisons' local security strategies.

Prisons

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he expects police cells in West Yorkshire to be used to house prisoners to relieve prison overcrowding.

Tony McNulty: There are currently no police cells being used for Operation Safeguard in West Yorkshire.

Prisons

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deaths there were in each prison in the Metropolitan police district area in each year since 2000.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Prisons

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many escapes occurred from each prison in the Metropolitan Police District area in each year since 2000.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Prisons

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Category D prisoners over the age of 70 are not being considered for parole because of the severity of their original offence; what the average period of imprisonment is which they have served; and what assessment has been made in each case of the likely danger to the public if they were to be released on licence.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Prisons

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Category D prisoners over the age of 70 are serving sentences in jails in England and Wales.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits were made by foreign police services to British prisons in each year since 2001.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There are no records available centrally of the number of such visits and they could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Safer Schools Scheme

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of safer schools partnerships in reducing crime in schools.

Vernon Coaker: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Safer Schools Scheme

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests there have been as a result of the introduction of the safer schools scheme.

Vernon Coaker: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Safer Schools Scheme

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officer hours were allocated to the safer schools scheme in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Safety Cameras

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful prosecutions there have been for speeding in cases where  (a) the driver has not been identified and  (b) the number plate of the car has been identified by a speed camera in each of the years since 1992.

Vernon Coaker: A successful prosecution for speeding is not possible if the driver at the time of the offence is not identified.
	Data on proceedings and findings of guilt for speed limit offences detected by camera are given in the following table, from 1997-2004 (latest available). Data from 1992-96 are not available.
	2005 data will be available early in 2007.
	
		
			  Estimated( 1)  number of proceedings( 2)  at magistrates' courts and findings of guilt for speed limit offences( 3)  detected by camera( 4) , England and Wales, 1997 to 2004 
			  Number of offences 
			   Total proceedings( 2)  Findings of guilt 
			 1997 48,100 43,800 
			 1998 65,100 59,100 
			 1999 75,800 68,300 
			 2000 109,200 96,700 
			 2001 137,100 121,800 
			 2002 100,100 86,500 
			 2003 127,400 106,100 
			 2004 127,100 102,000 
			 (1 )Estimated from combining data from OCJR's Court Proceedings Database and separate data from the police. (2 )Includes cases where fixed penalty notices were originally issued but not paid and subsequently referred to court. (3 )Offences under the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 and Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regulations 1973. (4 )Automatic cameras until 1998, all camera types from 1999.  Notes:  1. Data from 1992-96 are not available. 2. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. 3. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when these data are used.

Sexual Offences Act

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been successfully prosecuted under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 for underage sex.

Vernon Coaker: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Sharad Ladva

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that no individual whose case was handled by Sharad Ladva will be returned to the Philippines until a full investigation of their claim has been made.

John Reid: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Shoplifting

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted for shoplifting in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997; and how many in each year received  (a) custodial sentences,  (b) fixed penalty notices  (c) community orders and  (d) police cautions for shoplifting in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Special Educational Needs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to provide access to free legal advice and support for appeals to the special educational needs and disability tribunal for all parents of children with special educational needs.

Vera Baird: I have been asked to reply.
	Any individual who qualifies for legal aid under the standard means and merits criteria can obtain legal advice and information on a variety of matters under the Legal Help scheme, including for preparatory work for the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.
	Advocacy before the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal is outside the scope of civil legal aid, because the Tribunal is relatively informal and is non-adversarial. Funding can, however, be granted in exceptional circumstances, subject to strict criteria.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been detained as terrorism suspects since 2000.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been convicted of terrorist crimes since 2000; and how many of those individuals were subsequently proved to have connections to known terrorist organisations.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office does not collate information on convictions for the time period requested.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many personnel in his Department work primarily on combating cyber-terrorism.

Tony McNulty: Because the measures that protect the UK's electronic infrastructure against criminal attack also protect it against terrorist attack it would be difficult to quantify how many staff work primarily on combating cyber-terrorism. The National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre's core staff numbers around 70 personnel.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a report on the lessons learned from the aborted airline plot of August 2006.

Tony McNulty: There are currently no plans to publish such a report.

Terrorism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005; and what recent representations he has received about the operation of that Act.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Terrorism

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are being held for terrorism offences at HMP Belmarsh.

Tony McNulty: On 2 November 2006, the number of prisoners being held at Belmarsh prison in respect of offences under terrorism legislation, or for other criminal offences that are considered to be related to terrorism, was 52.

Terrorism

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made by his Department of the impact of British military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan on the terrorist threat to the United Kingdom.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Unaccompanied Children

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what process the Government will use to assess risk of trafficking in developing their returns programme for unaccompanied children who have been refused asylum; and if he will consult non-governmental organisations in the UK in developing this programme.

Liam Byrne: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Violent Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of violent crimes in the London borough of Havering.

Tony McNulty: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Violent Deaths

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people died as a result of being  (a) shot and  (b) stabbed in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 31 October 2006
	I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Violent Sex Offenders

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the release of violent sex offenders on parole; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 19 October 2006
	Under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 implemented in April 2005, dangerous violent or sexual offenders must be sentenced either to an extended sentence for public protection (EPP) or an indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP). Offenders serving an EPP can be considered for release by the Parole Board at the half-way point of the custodial element of the sentence. Offenders serving an IPP can apply to be released once they have served the minimum term set by the court.
	For an offender to be released in either of these circumstances, the Parole Board must be convinced that the risk of re-offending and the risk to the public has been sufficiently reduced. In the case of IPP sentences, the offender may never be released from custody if the risk to the public cannot be managed safely in the community.
	Prisoners whose offences are committed before 4 April 2005 are sentenced under the provisions of the previous legislation (Criminal Justice Act 1991). Those sentenced to a determinate prison sentence of four years or more are eligible for parole at the half way point of their sentence and will be released only if the Parole Board considers that safe. If not released at this point, they must be released at the two thirds point of their sentence and remain on licence until the three quarter point. They remain at risk of recall if they commit a further imprisonable offence during the remainder of the sentence.
	Under the statutory Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) introduced in April 2001, offenders who are assessed as posing a high risk of harm to others after release from a determinate sentence undergo a more comprehensive risk assessment and more robust risk management planning and implementation. MAPPA allow relevant offenders to be identified, information to be shared and risk assessments and action plans to be agreed. Work within MAPPA may result in, for example, increased police monitoring, special provision for victim protection, the provision of information to employers, providers of children's services, close supervision and appropriate accommodation. All sex and other violent offenders are liable to be monitored and the level of supervision will depend upon the assessed level of risk posed by the offender, following the principle that resources follow risk.

Yarl's Wood

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pregnant women held at Yarl's Wood are fast track cases; how many pregnant women detained there between 1 April 2004 and 31 January 2006 were fast track cases; how many of these reached 24 weeks of pregnancy while detained; and what procedures were followed in reviewing  (a) the need for and  (b) the conditions of their detention at this stage.

Liam Byrne: There is at present one pregnant woman in the Fast track process who is detained at Yarl's Wood. The Fast Track process has only been in existence since 9 May 2005.
	We do not keep historical information purely on the basis of pregnancy and as such cannot give numbers of those detainees who were pregnant and are no longer in the fast track process.
	We do not accept women into fast track who are more than 24 weeks pregnant. However, a woman would be released from detention when she reaches 32 weeks pregnant.
	The detention of each woman is constantly monitored, pregnant or not, including considering the need to detain on the basis of each individual's case.
	A pregnant woman has access to full healthcare facilities at Yarl's Wood. This includes access to a midwife, who oversees the individual's medical requirements regarding the pregnancy.

Yarl's Wood

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any of the seven detainees who escaped from Yarl's Wood following the fire on 14 February 2002, and whose whereabouts remain uncertain, are known to have committed a crime either in the United Kingdom or in another country before their escape in February 2002.

Liam Byrne: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Young Offenders

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has spent on the provision of  (a) counsellors,  (b) psychologists and  (c) support programmes in young offender institutions in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times children have been released from Ashfield Young Offender Institution without their property in the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times control and restraint was used to strip search juvenile boys and girls in each young offender institution in 2005; and how many times it has been used in each month in 2006.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what injuries were inflicted on boys inside Huntercombe Young Offender Institution during control and restraint in each month in 2005; and what injuries have been inflicted in each month in 2006.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times control and restraint was used on boys inside Huntercombe Young Offender Institution in order to strip search them in each month in 2005; and how many times it has been used for that purpose in 2006.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles were received into each young offender institution in each year since 2000.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boys were subjected to a strip search in Huntercombe Young Offender Institution in each month in 2005; and how many have been subjected to such a search in each month in 2006.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often control and restraint was used on juveniles in each young offender institution in each month in 2005; how many times it has been used in each month of 2006; and how many such cases involved black and minority ethnic juveniles.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the Independent Monitoring Board at each young offender institution holding juveniles have qualifications in child protection.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people serving detention and training orders and designated as vulnerable by the Youth Justice Board were transferred into the adult prison estate in each month since 2004.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Apprenticeships

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people are in apprenticeship training, broken down by age.

Phil Hope: The following table shows the total number of learners who participated in apprenticeship training during 2004-05 broken down by age bands. Figures for 2005-06 will be available following the publication of the Statistical First Release (SFR) Further Education, Work-Based Learning and Adult and Community Learning.
	
		
			  Learner numbers in England: 2005-06 in December 2006: 
			   Advanced apprenticeship  Apprenticeship 
			 Under 19 50,800 156,500 
			 19-24 93,100 104,600 
			 25 - 29 3,700 2,300 
			 30-34 100 0 
			 35-39 100 0 
			 40-44 100 0 
			 45-49 0 0 
			 50-54 0 0 
			 55-59 0 0 
			 60+ 0 0 
			 Total 147,800 263,400 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.

Biometric Technology

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what advice his Department gives to local education authorities which are considering introducing biometric technologies in schools.

Jim Knight: Schools and local authorities are responsible for deciding their own policies relating to information about children which they wish to hold and use, subject to the relevant legislation on Data Protection and Freedom of Information. The Department has published guidance for schools and local authorities on implementing the legislation. Additionally Becta (British Educational Communications and Technology Agency) has published general guidance for local authorities and schools on the introduction of technology in schools and on Data Protection and Security issues. We have not issued specific guidance to schools and local authorities on the introduction of biometric technologies.

Biometric Technology

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent in schools on biometric technologies in each of the last three years, broken down by local education authority.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Correspondence

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will be sending the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling his further letter regarding Mr. and Mrs Nick. Coote which he said in his letter of 12 May to the right hon. Member he expected to be able to send by 23 May.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, replied to the right hon. Member's letter on 1 November 2006.

Current Affairs/Media Studies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans his Department has to incorporate media and current affairs studies in secondary schools.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental Mail

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the Department's mail is shipped using private companies; and what the cost was over the last 12 months.

Parmjit Dhanda: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Departmental Staff (Bonus Payments)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total work force they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information for 2005/06, 2004/05 and 2003/04 is contained in the following table.
	
		
			   2005/06  2004/05  2003/04 
			 Number of staff receiving bonus payments 1,408 1,447 1,232 
			 Proportion of total work force they represent (percentage) 33 32 26 
			 Total amount of bonuses paid () 1,835,000 1,462,000 922,000 
			 Largest single payment () 10,000 10,000 12,000 
		
	
	Information for previous years is not held.

Departmental Vacancies

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what proportion of vacancies in his Department in the last 12 months required candidates to have at least a grade C in  (a) English and  (b) mathematics GCSE;
	(2)  whether his Department recognises the International GCSE as an acceptable substitute for a GCSE for the purposes of recruitment.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department's recruitment profile is predominantly at graduate/post graduate level. The Department does not recruit on the basis of qualifications alone but we would recognise the International GCSE. Where a candidate has declared having qualifications on an application form, this information will have been checked and verified on an individual basis as part of the recruitment and selection process.
	At present, information about qualifications is not held on the Department's human resource information system and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

E2E Programme

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the hourly rate of pay is on the post-school training programme E2E; what the hourly rate was in the predecessor scheme; when the reduction in the rate of pay was implemented; how many people are participating in the new scheme; how many people participated in the predecessor scheme; how many people have gone into full-time employment on leaving the E2E scheme since its introduction; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction in the length of the E2E scheme.

Phil Hope: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Early Years Education

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children under school age in Islington, North constituency are in full-time pre-school places; how many are in  (a) children centres,  (b) private nurseries and  (c) child nurseries; and what the figures were in each of the last four years.

Beverley Hughes: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Education Funding

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding per pupil is available to  (a) schools,  (b) sixth forms and  (c) further education colleges in the Coventry, South Region in the 2006-07 academic year; and what steps his Department is taking to promote volunteering.

Jim Knight: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The Dedicated School Grant of 3,696 is the guaranteed unit of funding which was allocated per pupil in Coventry for 2006-07 (covering pupils aged 3 to 19 in schools). The figure does not include capital or grants. This is the level of funding which applies to all of Coventry LEA, rather than districts in an LEA. It is not possible to distinguish figures for sixth formers from 11 to 16-year-old secondary pupils.
	The Learning and Skills Council are responsible for funding schools sixth forms and FE and sixth form colleges. The allocation of funding in local areas relate to the LSC's operational responsibilities and the LSC's chief executive, Mark Haysom, will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested for Coventry area.
	The policy on volunteering is now the responsibility of the Cabinet Office.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 6 November 2006:
	I am writing to follow up the reply given to you by Jim Knight, the Minister of State for Schools, in response to your question regarding levels of pupil funding.
	Mr Knight provided you with details of the levels of funding per pupil for those in schools and asked me to give you detail on the figures for young people in the further education and work-based learning system.
	I understand that you are meeting with Mike Bell, the LSC Area Director for Coventry and Warwickshire, on 10th November. Mike's team is collecting the detailed information you require and, if it is acceptable to you, I will ask Mike to give you the information when you meet.
	I will of course ask Mike to keep me informed of any further questions or issues that may arise during your discussion.
	I would be grateful if your office could let me know if this approach is acceptable to you so that I can keep Mike and his team informed.

Education Funding

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what grant schemes are available in  (a) all education authority areas and  (b) Havering local education authority area for colleges; and which colleges have taken advantage of those schemes.

Phil Hope: Further education (FE) colleges in England are funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) principally on a Grant-in-Aid basis. As independent bodies colleges may also receive funding from a number of other public and non-public sources, including the European Social Fund and the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The LSC is funded by the Department for post-16 education and training in England and its budget is outlined in an annual grant letter to the chairman of the LSC. The LSC's budget for 2007-08 is 11.4 billion, an increase of 4 per cent over the previous year. In addition to the core FE allocation, colleges may receive LSC funding for a number of other programmes and initiatives. These include: Train to Gain; Work Based Learning; Entry to Employment; Personal and Community Development Learning; Learner Support Funds; Offenders' Learning and Skills Service; Skills initiatives; Quality Reform and Capacity and Infrastructure programmes. Details of the funding allocations to colleges for the main programmes are published on the LSC's website: www.lsc.gov.uk. Colleges may also apply to the LSC for grant support for capital development projects.
	Programme and initiative level information for individual colleges is not collected centrally by my Department. The LSC determines this level of funding. This is an operational matter for the LSC. Mark Haysom, the Council's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member on this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) males and  (b) females are receiving education maintenance allowance in each (i) London borough and (ii) authority in Essex, broken down by age; what the figures were in each of the last three years for which figures are available; under what legislation this allowance is payable; what restrictions are placed on its payment; what recent representations he has received about the allowance; whether he has any plans to increase the allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) operate education maintenance allowances (EMAs) for the DfES and would normally provide information about take-up of the scheme. Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received one or more EM A payment is available at local authority (LA) level, but not at a lower level.
	The following table gives EMA take-up data for each of the London and Essex local authorities for the 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07 academic years. The data is split by gender and age. Gender is not a mandatory field on the EMA application form and so there are a number of learners whose gender is not-specified.
	The administrative scheme arrangements for EMA are made under Section 14 of the Education Act 2002. Restrictions are in place when applying for EMA as set out in detail in the scheme arrangements. Applicants must fulfil specific income, age and residency requirements before being deemed eligible for EMA. Furthermore, there are some restrictions relating to the payment of EMA. When a young person is enrolled they must agree a Contract Part 1 with their learning provider which sets out the responsibilities of both parties for the learner to receive a weekly payment. The learner is required to attend as per the timetable set out with their learning provider in order to be paid each week. If the provider deems any absences to be authorised then the young person may still receive an EMA payment for that week. It is for the learning provider to make weekly payment decisions for all EMA learners. Further details can be found in the scheme arrangements and in the EMA guidance document which are available on the EMA website at:
	www.directgov.uk/ema.
	There are currently no plans to increase EMA, however, the household income thresholds were increased for applications that are based on the 2005-06 tax year. This has increased the number of households eligible for EMA.
	Since 1 August 2006 the Department has received nine parliamentary questions (PQs), including this particular question and 59 pieces of correspondence as follows:
	
		
			  Category  Amount of correspondence received 
			 Income-related 32 
			 Age-related 9 
			 Extension of EMA to unwaged trainees (UWT) 6 
			 General queries/complaints 12 
			 Total 59 
		
	
	
		
			  PQ category  Number of PQs received 
			 Take up of EMA 4 
			 Attainment 2 
			 Extension of EMA to UWT 1 
			 Cross cutting questions 2 
			 Total 9 
		
	
	
		
			  EMA  Year 3  EMA  Year 2  EMA Year 1 
			Gender  Age  2007/07 (to date, 30 October 2006)  2005/06 (end of year data)  2004/05 (end of year data) 
			 LSC Essex   10,452 10,642 5,823 
			
			 LA Essex Male 16 1,801 2207 2,012 
			17 1,559 1461 11 
			18 377 10  
			19 2   
			   Female 16 2,150 2532 2,286 
			17 1,861 1808 10 
			18 394 6 2 
			19 3   
			   Not Specified 16 77 240 307 
			17 53 231 1 
			18 14 1  
			19
			 LA Southend-on-Sea Male 16 279 291 291 
			17 210 233  
			18 68 2  
			19
			   Female 16 323 337 319 
			17 241 267 2 
			18 74 1  
			19 1   
			   Not Specified 16 13 30 53 
			17 11 46  
			18 6   
			19
			 LA Thurrock Male 16 209 251 224 
			17 166 146 1 
			18 43  1 
			19
			   Female 16 245 306 266 
			17 208 189 3 
			18 50 2  
			19
			   Not specified 16 9 22 34 
			17 4 23  
			18 1   
			19
			
			 LSC London Central   10,497 14,029 11,125 
			   Male 16 230 346 333 
			17 227 308 243 
			18 91 120 113 
			19 2 5 2 
			 LA Camden (former pilot area) Female 16 282 382 371 
			17 280 339 269 
			18 100 113 114 
			19 2 5 2 
			   Not specified 16 8 58 62 
			17 9 57 32 
			18 2 15 6 
			19  1  
			 LA Islington (former pilot area) Male 16 238 371 332 
			17 222 303 240 
			18 94 135 134 
			19 2 12 5 
			   Female 16 318 486 406 
			17 335 363 314 
			18 100 143 115 
			19 7 10 7 
			   Not specified 16 14 64 73 
			17 10 58 40 
			18 4 28 10 
			19  1  
			 LA Kensington and Chelsea Male 16 101 156 142 
			17 114 141  
			18 34   
			19  1 1 
			   Female 16 134 176 144 
			17 135 153  
			18 41   
			19
			   Not specified 16 4 34 38 
			17 7 30  
			18 1   
			19
			 LA Lambeth (former pilot area) Male 16 414 677 587 
			17 452 554 427 
			18 210 231 185 
			19 7 18 10 
			   Female 16 522 787 638 
			17 575 620 511 
			18 215 241 212 
			19 15 25 11 
			   Not specified 16 21 97 98 
			17 21 100 73 
			18 15 46 15 
			19  4 2 
			 LA Southwark (former pilot area) Male 16 474 662 557 
			17 447 520 430 
			18 207 211 170 
			19 6 13 9 
			   Female 16 555 709 632 
			17 518 598 474 
			18 205 224 186 
			19 7 11 13 
			   Not specified 16 24 74 92 
			17 20 69 65 
			18 11 40 11 
			19
			 LA Wandsworth (former pilot area) Male 16 275 409 343 
			17 269 306 258 
			18 104 124 92 
			19 5 8 3 
			   Female 16 302 479 392 
			17 345 360 293 
			18 123 145 112 
			19 2 10 2 
			   Not specified 16 16 42 54 
			17 6 42 40 
			18 4 21 8 
			19  2  
			 LA Westminister Male 16 171 274 245 
			17 190 242 3 
			18 88 5 1 
			19 2   
			   Female 16 245 270 267 
			17 186 258 2 
			18 67 1 2 
			19
			   Not specified 16 6 37 51 
			17  47 1 
			18 2 2  
			19
			
			 LSC London East   18,106 24,216 18,832 
			
			 LA City of London Male 16 10 10 3 
			17 6 15  
			18 2 1  
			19
			   Female 16 18 10 10 
			17 8 22 1 
			18 3 1 1 
			19
			   Not specified 16  1 2 
			17  4 1 
			18
			19
			
			 LA Grenwich (former pilot area) Male 16 346 507 471 
			17 322 369 328 
			18 126 161 131 
			19 5 6 5 
			   Female 16 450 595 574 
			17 462 509 360 
			18 185 146 133 
			19 3 6 4 
			   Not specified 16 18 84 96 
			17 17 67 43 
			18 4 23 12 
			19
			 LA Hackney (former pilot area) Male 16 367 600 546 
			17 393 511 414 
			18 168 234 190 
			19 9 10 10 
			   Female 16 551 726 692 
			17 513 675 591 
			18 204 252 199 
			19 8 22 8 
			   Not specified 16 15 99 83 
			17 11 83 76 
			18 9 39 22 
			19 1 5  
			 LA Lewisham (former pilot area) Male 16 439 589 525 
			17 431 472 441 
			18 168 199 155 
			19 6 5 2 
			   Female 16 494 682 632 
			17 521 558 458 
			18 176 225 184 
			19 8 6 3 
			   Not specified 16 31 102 93 
			17 27 80 60 
			18 10 27 12 
			19
			 LA Tower Hamlets (former pilot area) Male 16 526 744 655 
			17 469 596 591 
			18 196 288 224 
			19 8 13 2 
			   Female 16 613 775 728 
			17 531 679 613 
			18 174 226 207 
			19 7 12 2 
			   Not specified 16 11 136 138 
			17 14 114 84 
			18 6 39 18 
			19  2  
			 LA Barking and Dagenham (former pilot area) Male 16 323 422 331 
			17 254 304 223 
			18 99 116 68 
			19 8 6 1 
			   Female 16 357 477 393 
			17 300 356 231 
			18 104 103 59 
			19 2 5 1 
			   Not specified 16 13 51 66 
			17 9 54 26 
			18 4 24 4 
			19  1 1 
			 LA Bexley Male 16 287 389 355 
			17 249 289 4 
			18 88   
			19
			   Female 16 323 424 411 
			17 323 355 2 
			18 89   
			19
			   Not specified 16 17 48 60 
			17 14 47 3 
			18 5   
			19
			 LA Havering Male 16 244 358 350 
			17 246 272 1 
			18 53 2  
			19 1   
			   Female 16 295 457 408 
			17 300 324 2 
			18 64   
			19
			   Not specified 16 11 47 61 
			17 9 40  
			18 5   
			19
			 LA Newham (former pilot area) Male 16 679 958 827 
			17 620 789 634 
			18 227 329 272 
			19 8 25 8 
			   Female 16 669 1001 877 
			17 692 870 637 
			18 189 277 227 
			19 4 20 4 
			   Not specified 16 18 130 160 
			17 20 138 104 
			18 14 59 16 
			19 1 2 1 
			 LA Redbridge Male 16 337 542 549 
			17 361 512 12 
			18 109 5 1 
			19 1   
			   Female 16 406 577 498 
			17 405 495 13 
			18 101 3 1 
			19 1 1  
			   Not specified 16 26 78 97 
			17 15 72  
			18 7   
			19
			
			 LSC London North   8,137 10,623 7,288 
			
			 LA Barnet Male 16 361 532 459 
			17 355 454 4 
			18 103 2  
			19 2   
			   Female 16 400 552 469 
			17 420 492 2 
			18 118 1 1 
			19
			   Not specified 16 20 74 112 
			17 18 91  
			18 2   
			19
			 LA Enfield Male 16 429 656 580 
			17 424 484 7 
			18 157 8 2 
			19 1  1 
			   Female 16 507 671 621 
			17 486 592 7 
			18 205 2 3 
			19 3 1  
			   Not specified 16 28 126 111 
			17 30 94 1 
			18 7 1  
			19 2   
			 LA Haringey (former pilot area) Male 16 382 543 542 
			17 374 523 370 
			18 172 216 195 
			19 6 6 6 
			   Female 16 405 638 613 
			17 479 601 435 
			18 204 225 170 
			19 15 5 3 
			   Not specified 16 16 92 99 
			17 19 87 59 
			18 20 49 12 
			19 1 1  
			 LA Waltham Forest (former pilot area) Male 16 356 578 539 
			17 365 470 416 
			18 132 196 144 
			19 6 11 1 
			   Female 16 447 619 574 
			17 452 528 441 
			18 153 204 142 
			19 12 17 5 
			   Not specified 16 22 83 87 
			17 15 72 46 
			18 6 25 6 
			19  1 3 
			
			 LSC London South   7,422 8,329 4,253 
			
			 LA Bromley Male 16 320 418 398 
			17 283 313 4 
			18 81 1  
			19 1   
			   Female 16 358 495 449 
			17 358 361 5 
			18 81 3  
			19 1   
			   Not specified 16 16 46 76 
			17 18 60 1 
			18 6 2  
			19
			 LA Croydon Male 16 502 678 583 
			17 453 520 7 
			18 170 4  
			19 1   
			   Female 16 586 814 672 
			17 609 643 2 
			18 180 1  
			19  2 1 
			   Not specified 16 29 117 109 
			17 21 88 2 
			18 8 1 1 
			19
			 LA Kingston-Upon-Thames Male 16 124 173 152 
			17 118 133 3 
			18 33 1  
			19
			   Female 16 159 201 189 
			17 151 161  
			18 42   
			19
			   Not specified 16 7 22 25 
			17 8 17  
			18
			19
			 LA Merton Male 16 205 334 263 
			17 217 237 3 
			18 66  1 
			19
			   Female 16 274 346 291 
			17 247 257 4 
			18 72 1  
			19
			   Not specified 16 2 39 52 
			17 10 48  
			18 4   
			19
			 LA Richmond-Upon-Thames Male 16 134 158 152 
			17 119 140 1 
			18 38   
			19
			   Female 16 123 188 174 
			17 137 152 1 
			18 36 2 1 
			19
			   Not specified 16 7 18 31 
			17 7 24  
			18 4   
			19
			 LA Sutton Male 16 206 260 261 
			17 150 210 1 
			18 58 1  
			19
			   Female 16 274 309 288 
			17 229 254 1 
			18 58 1  
			19
			   Not specified 16 6 44 47 
			17 11 31 2 
			18 4   
			19
			
			 LSC London West   10,353 13,242 9,261 
			
			 LA Hammersmith and Fulham (former pilot area) Male 16 196 278 283 
			17 182 246 209 
			18 88 112 99 
			19 3 4 1 
			   Female 16 238 308 287 
			17 228 282 190 
			18 96 101 95 
			19 3 3  
			   Not specified 16 6 30 38 
			17 10 39 37 
			18 3 26 4 
			19
			 LA Brent (former pilot area) Male 16 418 713 594 
			17 488 590 428 
			18 184 244 202 
			19 7 3 1 
			   Female 16 489 659 641 
			17 495 647 494 
			18 213 234 172 
			19 2 5 1 
			   Not specified 16 24 99 116 
			17 20 107 63 
			18 6 48 14 
			19  1 1 
			 LA Ealing (former pilot area) Male 16 380 620 597 
			17 425 572 445 
			18 180 234 184 
			19  3 4 
			   Female 16 473 661 626 
			17 510 615 455 
			18 185 204 181 
			19 3 6 1 
			   Not specified 16 18 106 108 
			17 19 94 51 
			18 6 38 14 
			19 1  1 
			 LA Harrow Male 16 303 447 353 
			17 336 354 3 
			18 134 3 1 
			19 2  1 
			   Female 16 303 446 409 
			17 360 419 7 
			18 121 1 2 
			19 1   
			   Not specified 16 14 46 69 
			17 15 65 1 
			18 9 1 1 
			19
			 LA Hillingdon Male 16 313 403 381 
			17 284 330 4 
			18 101 3  
			19 1   
			   Female 16 356 480 430 
			17 357 377 5 
			18 106 3  
			19 1   
			   Not specified 16 15 49 62 
			17 14 50  
			18 7   
			19
			 LA Hounslow Male 16 314 447 366 
			17 297 335 1 
			18 104 4  
			19
			   Female 16 349 500 447 
			17 364 423 2 
			18 131 1 1 
			19
			   Not specified 16 18 65 77 
			17 19 58 1 
			18 5   
			19
			  Note: When comparing the year on year data please note that national EMA was phased in over time to successive 16-year old age groups. Therefore, in the first year of national roll out (2004/05) 17, 18 and 19 year olds were ineligible for EMA unless they were resident in a former EMA pilot area, and similarly in 2005/06, 18 and 19 year olds were ineligible unless they were resident in a former pilot area. In the former pilot areas all 16, 17 and 18 year olds and some 19 year olds were eligible to receive EMA in each of the years displayed. The table indicates which of the areas listed were former EMA pilot areas. Within the table it shows that a small number of 16 and 17 year old learners in non-pilot areas claimed EMA during the first year of national roll out, this is because the learner would have originally been resident in a pilot area, but then moved to a non-pilot area and took their eligibility for EMA with them until the end of that EMA year.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what percentage of those in further education in  (a) Oxfordshire and  (b) the Wantage constituency received the educational maintenance allowance in each year since 2004;
	(2)  what percentage of those who received educational maintenance in  (a) Oxfordshire and  (b) the Wantage constituency did not gain an A-level qualification in each year since 2004.

Phil Hope: These matters are for the Learning and Skills Council, who operate education maintenance allowances for the DfES and hold the information about take-up of the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council's chief executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people received educational maintenance allowance in each  (a) county and  (b) constituency in 2005-06.

Parmjit Dhanda: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, who operate education maintenance allowances for the DfES and hold the information about take-up of the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council's chief executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what percentage of those in further education in  (a) Chorley and  (b) Lancashire received the education maintenance allowance in each year since 2004;
	(2)  what percentage of those who received the education maintenance allowance in  (a) Chorley and  (b) Lancashire did not gain an A-level qualification in each year since 2004.

Phil Hope: These matters are for the Learning and Skills Council, who operate education maintenance allowances for the DfES and hold the information about take-up of the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council's chief executive will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of this will be placed in the Library.

Educational Psychologists

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received about the funding of trainee educational psychologists; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Equality and Diversity

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent by the Learning and Skills Council on  (a) measures to tackle equality and diversity and  (b) compiling the equality and diversity section of its annual report in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The Government take its statutory responsibilities for equality and diversity very seriously, and through the Learning and Skills Council, it has put in place a range of measures to promote equality of opportunity, and to support providers in widening access for all groups of learners. In 2005-06 the LSC spent 1,47 billion on learners with learning difficulties and disabilities, and is working proactively to address issues raised by the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Black Staff in Further Education and Peter Little's review of funding and provision for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
	I have overall responsibility for LSC, but the operations of the LSC are managed and overseen by Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive. I have therefore asked him to write to the hon. Gentleman with the full information requested. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Examination Results

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children achieved  (a) level 7 in Key Stage 3 SATS and  (b) two or more A grades at A-level in each local education authority (LEA), in each (i) selective, (ii) partially selective and (iii) comprehensive in each of the last three years, broken down by ethnic origin; and what the average percentage of children in each category was in England in each year, broken down by ethnic origin.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Examination Results

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of candidates achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and mathematics in each  (a) selective,  (b) partially selective and  (c) comprehensive local education authority in the last 12 months, broken down by ethnic origin of candidates.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Examination Results

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the national average percentage of candidates achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and mathematics was in the last 12 months, broken down by ethnic origin of candidates.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Free School Meals

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many eligible pupils took up their entitlement to free school meals in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The Department collects information on the number of pupils who take a free school meal on the day of the Census, as well as the number of pupils who are known to be eligible for a free school meal. Pupils should only be recorded as eligible if a claim for free school meals has been made.
	A table showing the number of pupils who were known to be eligible for free school meals and the number of pupils who took free school meals is as follows.
	
		
			  Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools ( 1) : school meal arrangements  Position in January each year: 2002 to 2006England 
			  Nursery and primary schools 
			   Number of pupils ( 2,3)  Number of pupils taking free school meals on the Census Day  Percentage of pupils taking free school meals on the Census Day  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 2002 4,405,640 616,630 14.0 754,510 17.1 
			 2003 4,350,260 604,910 13.9 731,610 16.8 
			 2004 4,293,180 608,760 14.2 741,150 17.3 
			 2005 4,243,110 568,350 13.4 717,230 16.9 
			 2006 4,187,630 556,180 13.3 670,340 16.0 
		
	
	
		
			  Secondary schools 
			   Number of pupils ( 2,3)  Number of pupils taking free school meals on the Census Day  Percentage of pupils taking free school meals on the Census Day  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 2002 3,260,930 354,260 10.9 486,350 14.9 
			 2003 3,308,490 349,780 10.6 478,920 14.5 
			 2004 3,326,800 351,380 10.6 477,290 14.3 
			 2005 3,317,590 335,140 10.1 465,520 14.0 
			 2006 3,309,720 328,750 9.9 448,680 13.6 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Prior to 203, excludes boarding pupils. (3) Includes pupils with sole and dual (main) registration.  Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.  Source:  Schools' Census

Free School Meals

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of school children were entitled to free school dinners in 2005-06 in each local education authority; and what percentage change there has been in each figure since 1997-98.

Jim Knight: The information requested has been placed in the House Library.

Further Education

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 16 to 19-year-olds did not receive funding for courses as a consequence of further education colleges exceeding recruitment targets agreed with the local learning and skills councils in 2005-06 in  (a) each local learning and skills council area and  (b) each college.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 23 October 2006
	The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) agrees plans with most further education (FE) colleges which they guarantee to fund. The guarantee that college plans will be fully funded has been widely welcomed by the sector as ensuring stability and providing confidence for colleges to make commitments for the year based on assured levels of funding. The guarantee means that colleges recruiting above agreed plans cannot expect to receive additional funding above the level agreed with the LSC. However, there is an expectation that where colleges have delivered higher volumes in priority areas then this should be reflected in their planning for the following year.
	It is only possible to determine the amount of learning delivered above agreed planned levels following detailed analysis of the actual level of delivery in the academic year compared to the agreed planned levels. For 2005/06 the LSC estimate that colleges delivered 12,494 full-time equivalent (FTE) 16 to 19 learners above the planned levels agreed with local LSCs. Mark Haysom the LSC's chief executive, will write to you with the further details you require for each local LSC area and college.
	As part of its Agenda for Change programme the LSC will be consulting further, later this year, on funding arrangements for young people and adults.

Further Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students participated in  (a) apprenticeships,  (b) advanced apprenticeships,  (c) other NVQ learning,  (d) entry-to-employment,  (e) train-to-gain,  (f) foundation degrees and  (g) Workstep programmes in each year since 1997.

Phil Hope: The following table shows the numbers of learners who started work-based learning (WBL) programmes funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in each year since 1999-2000the earliest year for which figures are available - for the following types  (a) apprenticeships  (b) advanced apprenticeships  (c) other NVQ learning and  (d) Entry-to-Employment.
	Additionally, total numbers of learners pursuing NVQs in the Further Education (FE) sector funded by the LSC (prior to 2001-02 the Further Education Funding Council) are shown for each year from 1997-98.
	Entrants to foundation degrees are funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and figures are available from 2001-2.
	
		
			  Starts to WBL programmes funded by the LSC and foundation degrees funded by HEFCE; total number of learners participating on NVQ courses within the further education sector 
			   Apprenticeships( 1)  Advanced apprenticeships( 1)  Other NVQ learning as part of WBL1  Entry-to-Employment (E2E)( 1'2)  NVQ learners funded by LSC in FE( 3,4)  Foundation Degrees( 5,6) 
			 1997-98 n/a n/a n/a n/a 388,900 n/a 
			 1998-99 n/a n/a n/a n/a 386,900 n/a 
			 1999-2000 76.800 88,300 68,800 12,300 341,700 n/a 
			 2000-01 72,400 104,100 50,100 26,300 300,400 n/a 
			 2000-02 54,000 108,300 54,000 31,100 309,300 3,800 
			 2002-03 50,400 122,200 41,700 36,500 318,800 9,100 
			 2003-04 57,000 136,600 26,800 61,100 323,900 15,100 
			 2004-05 53,900 134,500 8,900 51,800 328,700 22,100 
			 2005-06 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 26,700 
			 (1) Figures prior to 2001-02 are based on Training Enterprise Council (TEC) data and thereafter the WBL Individual Learner Record (ILR). (2) E2E was previously referred to as Life Skills and includes Work Based Learning Below level 2. (3) Figures prior to 2002-03 are based on the Individual Student Record (ISR) but the FE ILR thereafter. (4 )NVQ learners funded by LSC in FE refer to all learners who participated and not just starts, and where NVQ is the highest aim if learner is enrolled on multiple courses. (5) Includes both fundable and non-fundable UK and ED students and those from overseas on all modes of study. (6) Figures prior to 2004-05 contain an element of estimation due to a definitional change for entrants in 2004-05. Additionally overseas figures for 2005-06 have been estimated using the previous three years figures.   Notes:  All figures rounded to the nearest 100. 
		
	
	Figures for Train-to-Gain are not yet available given the recent nation roll out of the programme in August 2006. Figures are not available for the Workstep programme funded by the Department for Work and Pensions through Jobcentre Plus.

Further Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of students dropped out of  (a) apprenticeships,  (b) advanced apprenticeships,  (c) other NVQ learning,  (d) entry-to-employment,  (e) train-to-gain,  (f) foundation degrees and  (g) workstep programmes in each year since 1997.

Phil Hope: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Further Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of students moved into  (a) employment,  (b) further training and  (c) unemployment upon completion of (i) apprenticeships, (ii) advanced apprenticeships, (iii) other NVQ learning, (iv) entry-to-employment, (v) train-to-gain, (vi) foundation degrees and (vii) workstep programmes in each year since 1997.

Phil Hope: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) collect data on destinations of learners after completion of work-based learning programmes. These data have been collected for the period 2002/03 to 2005/06 and subject to them meeting quality assurance criteria, will be made available by the LSC in due course.
	Prior to 2001/02, destinations data was collected through follow-up surveys carried out six months after learners left a programmethese surveys were discontinued in 2001, due to an increase in non-response bias.
	Based on these surveys, destination rates for all learners leaving programmes of work-based learning for young people (whether completing or not) in 1997 to 2001 are published in table 4 of the Statistical First Release Government Supported, Work Based Learning for Young People in England 2001/02: Volumes and Outcomes (link www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000358/sfr27-2002.pdf).
	The LSC are currently assessing the feasibility of a national learner destinations survey tracking further learning and employment destinations of learners that complete programmes with 60 or more guided learning hours in priority areas including work-based learning.
	Data on the destination of students upon completion of foundation degrees are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  UK and EU domiciled foundation degree qualifiers from UK HE institutions, of known destination six months after  qualifying 2002/03( 1)  to 2004/05 
			   2002/03  2003/04  2004/05 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Total of known destination 800 100 2,015 100 4,150 100 
			  Of which:   
			 Employment only 240 30 715 36 1,445 35 
			 Employment and Further study 185 24 520 26 1,135 27 
			 Further Study 315 40 660 33 1,345 32 
			 Assumed Unemployed 35 4 60 3 115 3 
			 Other 15 2 60 3 110 3 
			
			 Percentage of known destination 69 67 66 
			 (1) The first foundation degree qualifiers were in 2002/03.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Destination of Leavers from Higher Education. 
		
	
	Train to Gain is aimed at employers and their employees. It has been in operation nationally across England from August 2006 and as at the end of October 2006 there were about 50,000 learners working toward a Skills for Life or first full level 2 (equivalent to five good GCEs) qualification. It is too early to say what the destination of the learners in Train to Gain will be.
	However we can point to the evaluation of the employer training pilots on which Train to Gain was based. The final evaluation report by the Institute for Employment Studies found that 55 per cent. of those completing a level 2 qualification intended to study for a higher qualification at level 3 or above. 72 per cent. intended to remain with their current employer. Those completing their training were also keener to apply for a promotion, more confident in looking for another job and more eager to take on additional responsibilities. The report did not highlight any learners becoming unemployed. We are looking to Train to Gain to replicate and build on these positive labour market outcomes.
	Figures are not available for the Workstep programme funded by the Department for Work and Pensions through Jobcentre Plus.

Further Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total public spending was per student participating in  (a) apprenticeships,  (b) advanced apprenticeships,  (c) other NVQ learning,  (d) entry-to-employment,  (e) train-to-gain,  (f) foundation degrees and  (g) workstep programmes in each year since 1997.

Phil Hope: Figures are not easily available prior to 2002/03.
	 1. Apprenticeships, advanced apprenticeships, other NVQ learning, entry to employment and train to gain.
	
		
			  Table 1: Unit cost per learner in Apprenticeships Advanced Apprenticeships, and other NVQ Learning 
			  Programme area  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06( 1) 
			 Apprenticeships at level 2 2,702 2,913 3,542 3,609 
			 Advanced apprenticeships 2,203 2,576 2,996 3,081 
			 Other NVQ learning 2,381 2,595 2,736 2,759 
			 (1 )Based on expected outturn data.  Notes: 1. These are based on Average in Learning (AIL) learner volumes representing the volumes of learners on this programme within each year.  2. Unit costs are based on participation and expenditure only. Expenditure is based on proportion of funds by type of provision and not actual budget.  3. Other NVQ means NVQ only Learning within Work Based Learning.  Source:  Learning and Skills Council 
		
	
	For apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships there have been significant increases in unit costs over the four-year period. There are due to:
	Annual inflation paid for 16 to 18 learners over the period and for 19+ learners until 2004/05.
	Increased retention and success of the apprentices. Between 2002/03 and 2005/06 the success rate has increased from 27 per cent. to 53 per cent. Increased retention means that learners stay longer and consequently means that more monthly programme payments are made. Increased success also means that more learners qualify for the 25 per cent. element of funding payable on successful completion of the programme.
	Technical certificates have been introduced in many apprenticeship frameworks which have also increased costs.
	The LSC has been addressing the issue of unit costs. As set out in the Priorities for Success strategy in October 2005, the LSC has identified some areas of curriculum overlap within the elements of apprentice and reduced funding rates accordingly. It is also increasing employer contributions for learners aged 19 and over to the target of 50 per cent. by 2010.
	The unit costs for other NVQ learning have also increased over the period due to increased retention and success. Since 2003/04 the number of learners on other NVQ learning has fallen in favour of full apprenticeships.
	 Entry to Employment
	The unit costs for Entry to Employment (E2E) are 4,408 in 2004/05 and 4,322 in 2005/06. The unit costs are higher than apprenticeships due to the nature of the programme. These learners are not yet work-ready and need more support to develop the skills necessary for employment. The unit costs are broadly similar to learners following basic skills programmes in colleges.
	 Notes:
	1. E2E was introduced in 2002/03. However, management information data are only available for 2004/05 and 2005/06.
	2. These are based on Learner Volumes (enrolments/starts) and on an average length of 22 weeks. Unit costs are based on participation and expenditure only and are not annualised. Expenditure is based on proportion of funds by type of provision and not actual budget.
	 Source:
	Learning and Skills Council.
	 Employer Training Pilots and Train to Gain
	The unit costs for Employer Training Pilots (ETP) are 627 in 2004/05 and 935 in 2005/06.
	The increase is due to a timing effect resulting from the payment method where 50 per cent. of each learner's funding is paid for achievement. Many of the learners starting in 2004/05 will not achieve until 2005/06. Therefore the cost in 2005/06 includes not only a higher number of start payments due to a rapidly expanding programme, but also a higher number of achievement payments.
	The overall costs are much lower than the other programmes here due to the nature of the programmes. Apprenticeships, other NVQ and E2E are designed for young learners with little or no experience of the world of work who require substantial teaching. ETP and Train to Gain are for more experienced learners who need less training input.
	 Note:
	The costs per learner are not annualised. They are based on volumes and expenditure presented in the LSC's Databook 2006/07. Expenditure on Train to Gain also includes marketing, brokerage and evaluation costs.
	 2. Foundation Degrees
	We do not have a separate figure of unit funding for foundation degree students, and funding varies according to the costs of the subject. The overall planned teaching grant per full-time equivalent student for 2005-06 in higher education is currently 3,790 (at 2004-05 prices). This level of funding per student excludes income from tuition fees. Funding per student has been maintained in real terms since 1997.
	 3. Workstep programme
	The Workstep programme is the responsibility of Jobcentre Plus. The funding per participant for the Workstep Programme in 2004/05 and 2005/06 is as follows:
	
		
			  Table 2: Unit costs for Workstep 
			   Unit cost () 
			 2004/05(1) 5,137 
			 2005/06(1) 5,234 
			 (1) Comparable data are only available for these two academic years. These unit costs are annualised.  Note: These figures exclude Remploy factories. 
		
	
	The Workstep programme is largely about supporting people who face complex disability-related barriers in the workplace to ensure they gain and retain work. Workstep does demand that providers give to participants whatever help they might need to allow them to develop to their full potential, thus there may be (depending on the individual) a significant learning component. The beneficiaries are adults with real contracts of employment who may need considerable support simply to retain their jobs.

GCSEs

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of  (a) 15-year-olds and  (b) pupils at the end of the fourth Key Stage achieved A* to C in (i) five or more GCSEs, (ii) five or more GCSEs including English and mathematics, (iii) English, mathematics and science, (iv) English, mathematics, science and a modern foreign language, (v) five or more GCSEs including English, mathematics and science, (vi) five or more GCSEs including English, mathematics, science and a modern foreign language for each year since 1996.

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils in England obtained five A* to C GCSE grades including English, mathematics, science and a modern language in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The following table shows the requested information for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. Data are not collected for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 prior to 2005.
	
		
			   2005  2006 
			  5+ A*-C   
			 Number 361,551 380,568 
			 Percentage 57.1 59.0 
			
			  5+ A*-C inc. English and mathematics   
			 Number 284,209 294,982 
			 Percentage 44.9 45.8 
			
			  A*-C English, mathematics and science   
			 Number 260,147 265,152 
			 Percentage 41.1 41.1 
			
			  A*-C English, mathematics, science and a MFL   
			 Number 179,781 167,663 
			 Percentage 28.4 26.0 
			
			  5+ A*-C inc. English, mathematics and science   
			 Number 259,327 40.9 
			 Percentage 264,410 41.0 
			
			  5+ A*-C inc. English, mathematics and a MFL   
			 Number 179,760 28.4 
			 Percentage 167,652 26.0 
		
	
	The following table shows the requested information for 15-year-old pupils since 1996.
	
		
			   Number  Percentage 
			  5+ A*-C   
			 1996 264,537 44.5 
			 1997 264,892 45.1 
			 1998 266,431 46.3 
			 1999 278,560 47.9 
			 2000 285,727 49.2 
			 2001 301,638 50.0 
			 2002 312,664 51.6 
			 2003 329,272 52.9 
			 2004 345,793 53.7 
			 2005 358,598 56.3 
			 2006 377,832 58.1 
			
			  5+ A*-C inc. English and mathematics   
			 1996 209,349 35.2 
			 1997 209,157 35.6 
			 1998 212,571 37.0 
			 1999 224,483 38.6 
			 2000 232,086 40.0 
			 2001 245,421 40.7 
			 2002 255,132 42.1 
			 2003 260,436 41.9 
			 2004 274,482 42.7 
			 2005 282,174 44.3 
			 2006 293,154 45.1 
			
			  A*-C English, mathematics and science   
			 1996 196,010 35.1 
			 1997 195,476 35.4 
			 1998 197,880 36.2 
			 1999 207,809 34.0 
			 2000 214,770 35.4 
			 2001 227,508 36.6 
			 2002 234,790 37.7 
			 2003 240,244 39.0 
			 2004 251,893 38.9 
			 2005 258,247 40.6 
			 2006 263,435 40.6 
			
			  A*-C English, mathematics, science and a MFL   
			 1996 151,578 27.2 
			 1997 150,783 27.3 
			 1998 158,072 28.9 
			 1999 169,199 27.7 
			 2000 172,797 28.5 
			 2001 183,319 29.5 
			 2002 183,600 29.4 
			 2003 177,573 28.8 
			 2004 182,875 28.2 
			 2005 178,829 28.1 
			 2006 167,056 25.8 
			
			  5+ A*-C inc. English, mathematics and science   
			 1996 195,181 35.0 
			 1997 194,708 35.3 
			 1998 197,179 36.1 
			 1999 207,272 33.9 
			 2000 214,181 35.3 
			 2001 226,879 36.5 
			 2002 234,205 37.6 
			 2003 239,641 38.9 
			 2004 251,139 38.7 
			 2005 257,440 40.4 
			 2006 262,718 40.4 
			
			  5+ A*-C inc. English, mathematics, science and a MFL   
			 1996 151,544 27.2 
			 1997 150,755 27.3 
			 1998 158,048 28.9 
			 1999 169,180 27.7 
			 2000 172,772 28.5 
			 2001 183,298 29.5 
			 2002 183,583 29.4 
			 2003 177,553 28.8 
			 2004 182,862 28.2 
			 2005 178,809 28.1 
			 2006 167,046 25.7

GCSEs

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils achieved GCSEs at A* to C in two foreign languages in each year since 1996.

Jim Knight: The information requested is summarised in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of 15-year-olds  Percentage achieving two or more GCSEs in modern foreign languages at grades A*-C 
			 2006 649,905 5.0 
			 2005 636,771 5.3 
			 2004 643,560 5.3 
			 2003 622,122 5.4 
			 2002 606,554 5.8 
			 2001 603,318 5.9 
			 2000 580,393 5.9 
			 1999 580,972 6.2 
			 1998 575,210 6.5 
			 1997 586,766 7.0 
			 1996 594,035 7.3

GCSEs

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils in England obtained  (a) five,  (b) six,  (c) seven and  (d) eight A* to C GCSEs excluding equivalents in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The information requested is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number( 1)  of 15-year-old( 2)  pupils attaining at lease five, at least six, at least seven, and at least eight A*-C grades at GCSE excluding equivalents( 3) 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006( 4) 
			 5+A*-C 264,200 265,100 276,300 283,000 297,400 303,800 310,200 322,900 325,800 334,200 
			 6+A*-C 237,900 238,700 250,100 256,400 269,500 275,400 280,500 291,700 294,600 301,200 
			 7+A*-C 210,600 211,400 223,000 228,700 240,800 245,800 249,100 258,500 261,100 265,800 
			 8+A*-C 180,000 180,900 191,900 197,300 207,700 211,100 211,600 219,500 221,100 223,900 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Proportion of 15-year-old( 2)  pupils attaining at least five, at least six, at least seven, and at least eight A*-C grades at GCSE excluding equivalents( 3) 
			  Percentage 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006( 4) 
			 5+A*-C 45 46 48 49 49 50 50 50 51 51 
			 6+A*-C 41 42 43 44 45 45 45 45 46 46 
			 7+A*-C 36 37 38 39 40 41 40 40 41 41 
			 8+A*-C 31 31 33 34 34 35 34 34 35 34 
			 (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. (2) Aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August. (3) These other qualifications are not the same as GCSEs. Not all approved qualifications are exactly the same, but they can be measured and accredited on a common scale, which gives point scores according to their different challenges and different breadth. The value of a qualification will depend entirely on the young person's needs and aspirations and the context for their learning. (4) Data for 2006 are provisional. Data for all other years are final.

Graduates

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of graduates who one year after graduating in  (a) 2002,  (b) 2003,  (c) 2004 and  (d) 2005 were (i) in post-graduate training, (ii) unemployed, (iii) employed in graduate-level roles and (iv) employed in non-graduate-level roles; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Headteachers

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools were without a permanent headteacher for more than six months in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Islam and Muslim Affairs

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements his Department has in place for offering him advice on Islam and matters relating to Muslims; and who his advisers are on Islam and Muslim affairs.

Bill Rammell: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Learning and Skills Councils

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what codes of advertising practice local Learning and Skills Councils are expected to comply with.

Bill Rammell: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Literacy

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of written material for people suffering a reading disability.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 2 November 2006
	The Department follows the advice given by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in their Guidance Note number 16 Official Publications and Extending Availability for Disabled People.
	The Department produces a large number of publications to a wide range of target audiences, and requirements are considered on an individual basis according to the subject topic, target audience and potential demand. The Department will respond to any request for access to publications in alternative formats and will in principle make all publications available in the formats mentioned in the Guidance Note.

Literacy

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what financial support his Department has provided in each year since 1997 for the production of written materials for people with reading disabilities.

Parmjit Dhanda: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Literacy

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support his Department provides to ensure that reading materials are available in accessible formats for children with disabilities.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Government want all children to have the right to a good education and to fulfil their potential. It provides a wide range of support and guidance to help schools meet the duties they have towards children with special educational needs and disabilities; including the recently published training resource Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings. The resource includes advice to help schools and local authorities improve the delivery to disabled pupils of information that is provided in writing for pupils who are not disabled.
	More resources are going into schools to support children with special educational needslocal authority indicative figures show spending rising from 3.5 billion in 2003-04 to over 4.5 billion in 2006-07. This is in the context of increases in overall funding that have seen total revenue funding for schools increase nationally by 1,440 per pupil in real terms between 1997-1998 and 2006-2007. By 2007-2008 the increase over 1997-1998 will have reached over 1,630 per pupil in real terms.

Lyons Review

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many jobs in his Department have been relocated  (a) to Liverpool and  (b) elsewhere as a result of the Lyons Review; and on how many occasions Liverpool has been considered for relocation of staff under this programme.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 7 November 2006
	The Department and sponsored organisations are implementing the Lyons Review recommendations to relocate around 800 posts from the Department and its Non-Department Public Bodies out of London and the South East by 2010.
	 (a) No jobs from my Department have been relocated to Liverpool to the period ending March 2006.
	 (b) The Department is required to report to Parliament on progress against the Lyons Review relocation targets in the departmental report and autumn performance report. The autumn performance report will provide a further update on progress towards these targets. Until then I can inform you that by the end of March 2006, the DFES had, relocated 88 posts out of London and the south east area, 47 of which have moved to the DFES Castle View House office in Runcorn, Cheshire. The other 41 posts have moved to Dfes offices in Darlington and Sheffield. In addition to this, our partner organisations, including Ofsted, CAFCASS, the Quality Improvement Agency and the School Food Trust, have relocated 251 posts out of the south east. These posts have moved to locations such as Nottingham, Manchester, Bristol, Sheffield and Coventry.
	This means a total of 339 posts had been relocated at 31 March 2006.
	The Department has actively sought to relocate DFES posts to our Runcorn office as part of our contribution to boosting Government jobs in the North West/Liverpool travel to work area. We will continue to actively work with other Government Departments to encourage them to move work out of London/SE to our Runcorn office, or to use corporate shared service located there, thus increasing jobs on site.

Minimum Wage

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many employees in  (a) his Department and  (b) related agencies and non-departmental public bodies were affected by the increase in the minimum wage on 1st October.

Parmjit Dhanda: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

National Skills Academy

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether there will be a national skills academy in one of the five Olympic boroughs; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Non-resident Parents

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information regarding reports and school information schools are required to send to non-resident parents; whether his Department  (a) checks and  (b) asks local education authorities to check that such information is sent; what assessment he has made of the extent to which the information and computer technology is in place to support the provision of such information; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 6 November 2006
	Any person with care of a child, with parental responsibility for a child or who is the natural parent of a child is entitled to receive certain information from a school about their child's progress at school and about school matters. On request, schools are required to provide information about the school and its policies and to allow the child's educational record to be inspected by parents. Schools must provide the child's parents with a copy of the head teacher's annual report on the child's achievements and general progress, together with details of how to arrange a discussion of the report with the pupil's teacher. Information must also be provided about the outcome of any assessment of the child's special educational needs requested for the child and provision made as a result of the assessment.
	Through circular DfES/0092/2000, the Department provides advice to schools and local authorities as to who they ought to involve in issues about a child's education and who they ought to keep informed about school matters. The Department does not check with schools, or ask local authorities to check, that information is sent, or that computer technology is in place to support the provision of such information to parents.

Nursery Places

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research his Department has undertaken on the costs of providing nursery places in the  (a) private,  (b) voluntary and  (c) independent sectors.

Beverley Hughes: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Nursing/Midwifery

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many higher education institutions have reported reductions in the number of students on  (a) post-registration and  (b) continuing professional development courses in (i) nursing and (ii) midwifery and (iii) other health courses in 2006-07;
	(2)  how many higher education institutions have reported a reduction in the number of students on community nursing courses in 2006-07.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information allows the comparison of the number of students in 2003/04 with 2004/05. Figures for 2005/06 will be available in early 2007. From the available data we can not separate midwifery students from other nursing students and we can not separate between continuing professional development courses and post-registration courses.
	The number of students studying post-registration nursing and midwifery courses in England increased from 85,750 in 2003/04 to 88,040 in 2004/05. The data shows that 32 of the 71 HE institutions providing these post-registration courses reported a drop in the number of students. In 39 institutions, the numbers increased.
	For other post-registration health courses, the number of students in England increased from 7,460 in 2003/04 to 8,720 in 2004/05. 20 of the 52 higher education institutions offering this training reported a drop in numbers, in the other 32 the numbers increased or stayed the same.

Ofsted

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of school inspectors commissioned by Ofsted have met the required standard in the last five years.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Library.

Ofsted

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements have been made by Ofsted for the assurance of consistent standards by companies contracted to inspect schools in England; and what measures are available if such a company falls short of necessary standards.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Library.

Online Teaching

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to promote the online teaching resource at www.wiseup2work.co.uk.

Jim Knight: Resources available on the wiseup2work.co.uk website are promoted to schools via TeacherNet and there are plans for the site to be promoted further in the coming months. Wiseup2work is one of many online resources highlighted to the schools workforce providing information, guidance and support.
	The Department has reduced the number of websites for schools over the last two years. Extensive work is currently being undertaken to rationalise and migrate the remaining three portals (TeacherNet, GovernorNet and the Standards Site) into a single new online service enabling the Department to promote key online services more efficiently. This is due to be fully completed in mid-2007.

Pupil Achievement

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on progress towards replacement of the Pupil Achievement Tracker and the Performance and Assessment Reports with RAISEonline.

Jim Knight: RAISEonline, a new web-based system of performance data analysis to replace Ofsted's Performance and Assessment Reports and the Department's Pupil Achievement Tracker, is being introduced this year by my Department and Ofsted. It will provide a wide range of data analysis to inform school inspections and to support school self evaluation and target setting. The system is being introduced on a phased basis. Schools can currently access analyses of their 2005 data. Analyses of 2006 results are planned to be available in early December for primary schools, late December for GCSE results and January for key stage 3 results. The complexity of the system led to some delays in development. This has meant that earlier plans to release school information on a more rapid timetable than previous year's PANDA releases have not been achieved. Schools and local authorities have been informed about the revised planned release dates.

Pupil Ethnicity

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children of white European ethnic origin were being educated in  (a) primary schools and  (b) secondary schools in the Peterborough city council local education authority area on (i) 30 September 2004, (ii) 30 September 2005 and (iii) 30 September 2006; what percentage of the total number of pupils this represented in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The requested information is not held centrally.
	As part of the Schools' Census (SC) collected in January each year, schools are required to record ethnicity data to reflect the main categories used in the 2001 National Population Census. Children of White European ethnic origin are recorded under the category of Any Other White Background. Following a consultation exercise in 2002, local authorities (LAs) were given the option of using extended ethnicity categories in their schools if they felt that the main ones did not meet their local management needs. The extended ethnicity categories do include a separate White European code but not all LAs have chosen to use the extended categories. The majority of authorities use a mixture of main and extended codes and, therefore, the Department does not hold complete data for the extended ethnic background categories.

Pupil Profiles

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the intake of  (a) faith schools,  (b) non-faith schools and  (c) all schools were from disadvantaged backgrounds in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The Department does not collect an indicator to identify disadvantaged pupils directly. However, one commonly used measure of low socio-economic status is eligibility for free school meals.
	A table showing the number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in  (a) faith schools,  (b) non-faith schools and  (c) all schools is given as follows.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools ( 1) : Number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals  Position in January each year: 2002 to 2006England 
			   Primary schools 
			   Faith schools  Other schools  Total pupils 
			   Total pupils( 2)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 2)  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals  Total pupils( 2)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 2)  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals  Total pupils( 2)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 2)  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 2002 1,223,840 154,100 12.6 3,139,500 596,500 19.0 4,363,340 750,590 17.2 
			 2003 1,217,680 149,850 12.3 3,092,100 577,780 18.7 4,309,780 727,630 16.9 
			 2004 1.209,830 152,400 12.6 3,044,380 584,820 19.2 4,254,210 737.220 17.3 
			 2005 1,205,200 148,030 12.3 3,000,460 565,650 18.9 4,205,670 713,680 17.0 
			 2006 1.202,250 140,270 11.7 2,948,340 526,610 17.9 4,150,590 666,890 16.1 
		
	
	
		
			   Secondary schools 
			   Faith schools  Other schools  Total pupils 
			   Total pupils( 2)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 2)  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals  Total pupils( 2)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 2)  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals  Total pupils( 2)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 2)  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 2002 501,970 65,090 13.0 2,762,120 421,270 15.3 3,264,080 486,350 14.9 
			 2003 514,020 64,200 12.5 2,794,470 414,720 14.8 3.308,490 478,920 14.5 
			 2004 519,090 64,120 12.4 2,807,710 413,170 14.7 3.326,800 477.290 14.3 
			 2005 523,660 63,970 12.2 2,793,930 401,560 14.4 3,317,590 465,520 14.0 
			 2006 527,040 61,840 11.7 2,782,680 386,840 13.9 3,309,720 448.680 13.6 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes pupils with sole and dual (main) registration.  Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.  Source:  Schools'Census

Religion in Schools

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance his Department has issued to schools on their capacity to restrict the expression of religious belief on school premises.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

School Closures (Bad Weather)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what guidance his Department has issued to schools about closures due to inclement weather;
	(2)  how many schools closed for at least one day due to inclement weather in the last year for which data is available;
	(3)  how many school days were lost due to snowfall in the last year for which data is available;
	(4)  how many schools closed for at least one day due to snowfall in each of the last 10 years in each  (a) region and  (b) local education authority.

Jim Knight: As stated in our published guidance on the internet, by law, any school in England must meet for 190 days in each year unless it is prevented from meeting. The governing body of an individual school is responsible for deciding whether to close; it can delegate that decision to the head teacher. Schools must make up lost days where it is reasonable practicable. The statistical information requested is not collected centrally.

School Science Laboratories

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department has taken to refurbish school science laboratories since May 2005.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

School Sport

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether time spent  (a) in the playground,  (b) changing and  (c) travelling is included in assessments of performance against the PSA target for two hours of high quality sport and physical education in every school per week.

Jim Knight: holding answer 6 November 2006
	Time spent by pupils in the playground on high quality PE, school sport and structured physical activity counts towards the two hour PSA target for PE and school sport. Timetabled time spent changing for PE lessons also counts towards the two hour target, as this is often used by teachers to explain the lesson plan to pupils and to feed back to them on their performance after the lesson. Time spent travelling to or from PE and school sport opportunities does not count towards the two hour total.

School Sport

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what definition of high quality sport and physical education he uses in relation to the school sport PSA target; and what extra resource he has allocated to local education authorities to achieve it.

Jim Knight: holding answer 6 November 2006
	The document, High Quality PE and Sport for Young People (DfES/DCMS, March 2004), provides a detailed description of the outcomes of high quality physical education and school sport. For the purposes of the joint DfES/DCMS PE and school sport public service agreement target, high quality PE and school sport produces young people with the skills, understanding, desire and commitment to continue to improve and achieve in a range of PE, sport and health-enhancing physical activities, in line with their abilities.
	A further document, Do You Have High Quality PE and Sport in Your School? (DfES/DCMS, January 2005), helps teachers to use the pupil outcomes of high quality to carry out self evaluation of the quality of PE and sport they provide. Copies of these documents have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	In the five years to 2008, the Government will have invested 1.5 billion (including Lottery funding) to improve the quantity and quality of PE and school sport across the Country.

School Sport

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of schoolchildren receive two hours of physical education or sport each week in each local education authority area.

Jim Knight: The 2005/06 School Sport Survey found that overall, 80 per cent. of pupils in schools within a school sport partnership took part in at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport in a typical weekexceeding the 2006 PSA target of 75 per cent. The following table sets out the percentage of pupils in each local authority area taking part in at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport in a typical week. Direct comparisons between local authority areas are not appropriate as the number of schools in school sport partnerships, and the length of time they have been within partnerships, differs. The results only report on pupils who attend schools within school sport partnerships.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Barking and Dagenham 58 
			 Barnet 84 
			 Barnsley 69 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 86 
			 Bedfordshire 90 
			 Bexley 75 
			 Birmingham 82 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 88 
			 Blackpool 88 
			 Bolton 75 
			 Bournemouth 82 
			 Bracknell Forest 79 
			 Bradford 74 
			 Brent 81 
			 Brighton and Hove 83 
			 Bristol City of 86 
			 Bromley 82 
			 Buckinghamshire 80 
			 Bury 88 
			 Calderdale 83 
			 Cambridgeshire 81 
			 Camden 72 
			 City of London 100 
			 Cornwall 89 
			 Coventry 69 
			 Croydon 70 
			 Cumbria 84 
			 Darlington 83 
			 Derby 78 
			 Derbyshire 76 
			 Devon 89 
			 Doncaster 71 
			 Dorset 87 
			 Dudley 83 
			 Durham 84 
			 Ealing 88 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 79 
			 East Sussex 88 
			 Enfield 77 
			 Essex 86 
			 Gateshead 74 
			 Gloucestershire 83 
			 Greenwich 73 
			 Hackney 67 
			 Halton 79 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 62 
			 Hampshire 83 
			 Haringey 80 
			 Harrow 72 
			 Hartlepool 80 
			 Havering 74 
			 Herefordshire 88 
			 Hertfordshire 83 
			 Hillingdon 75 
			 Hounslow 78 
			 Isle of Wight 77 
			 Isles of Scilly 53 
			 Islington 75 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 74 
			 Kent 76 
			 Kingston upon Hull City of 65 
			 Kingston upon Thames 69 
			 Kirklees 75 
			 Knowsley 80 
			 Lambeth 89 
			 Lancashire 77 
			 Leeds 84 
			 Leicester 70 
			 Leicestershire 75 
			 Lewisham 71 
			 Lincolnshire 81 
			 Liverpool 79 
			 Luton 76 
			 Manchester 77 
			 Medway Towns 72 
			 Merton 84 
			 Middlesbrough 79 
			 Milton Keynes 82 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 79 
			 Newham 86 
			 Norfolk 80 
			 North East Lincolnshire 74 
			 North Lincolnshire 82 
			 North Somerset 90 
			 North Tyneside 86 
			 North Yorkshire 81 
			 Northamptonshire 82 
			 Northumberland 81 
			 Nottingham 80 
			 Nottinghamshire 83 
			 Oldham 85 
			 Oxfordshire 82 
			 Peterborough 83 
			 Peterborough 84 
			 Plymouth 81 
			 Poole 88 
			 Portsmouth 74 
			 Reading 74 
			 Redbridge 76 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 75 
			 Richmond upon Thames 86 
			 Rochdale 80 
			 Rotherham 77 
			 Rutland 83 
			 Salford 70 
			 Sandwell 79 
			 Sefton 81 
			 Sheffield 74 
			 Shropshire 83 
			 Slough 79 
			 Solihull 82 
			 Somerset 86 
			 South Gloucestershire 76 
			 South Tyneside 86 
			 Southampton 72 
			 Southend-on-Sea 89 
			 Southwark 72 
			 St. Helens 83 
			 Staffordshire 82 
			 Stockport 77 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 85 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 78 
			 Suffolk 82 
			 Sunderland 86 
			 Surrey 82 
			 Sutton 75 
			 Tameside 75 
			 Telford and Wrekin 77 
			 Thurrock 80 
			 Torbay 83 
			 Tower Hamlets 62 
			 Trafford 74 
			 Wakefield 76 
			 Walsall 84 
			 Waltham Forest 63 
			 Wandsworth 88 
			 Warrington 85 
			 Warwickshire 81 
			 West Berkshire 86 
			 West Sussex 81 
			 Westminster 72 
			 Wigan 88 
			 Wiltshire 82 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 83 
			 Wirral 80 
			 Wokingham 77 
			 Wolverhampton 86 
			 Worcestershire 92 
			 York 71

School Sport

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which local education authorities (LEAs) do not have a specialist sports college; which have plans to establish such a college; whether there is a target for the provision of these facilities in each LEA; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: There are 12 local authorities in England without a specialist Sports College or an academy with a sports focus:
	Bracknell Forest
	Camden
	City of London
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Isles of Scilly
	Kensington and Chelsea
	North East Lincolnshire
	Rutland
	South Tyneside
	Stockport
	Swindon
	Westminster
	Of these, the City of London has no maintained secondary schools and the Isles of Scilly has one.
	It would be inappropriate to predict the outcome of schools' specialism applications. There are no national targets for a Sports College in each area, but we are working to ensure that there is a balanced network of specialisms across each local authoritythis includes Sports Colleges. Nationally, there are 402 Sports Colleges, including 14 academies with a sports focus, exceeding our target to have 400 Sports Colleges.

School Sport

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which sports are taught to children at  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in each London local authority.

Jim Knight: The National Curriculum for Physical Education does not stipulate which precise sports a school should teach. Instead it sets out the types of activities that should be taught at each key stage:
	Key stage 1 (primary)three areas: dance; games; and gymnastics;
	Key stage 2 (primary)five areas: dance; games; gymnastics; plus two activity areas from athletics; outdoor and adventurous activities and swimming and water safety;
	Key stage 3 (secondary)four areas: games plus three of the following areas, at least one of which must be dance or gymnastics: athletics; dance; gymnastics; outdoor and adventurous activities and swimming and water safety;
	Key stage 4 (secondary)any two activity areas from: athletics; dance; games; gymnastics; outdoor and adventurous activities; and swimming and water safety.

Science and Mathematics

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to improve the teaching of  (a) science and  (b) mathematics in schools.

Jim Knight: The Government are improving the quality of teaching in science and mathematics through measures to improve the recruitment, retention and professional development of teachers. These include:
	A range of incentives to attract more science and mathematics teachers into the profession.
	Pre-teacher training courses to enhance intending teachers' subject knowledge in physics, mathematics and chemistry.
	Recruiting, training and supporting a cadre of specialist science and mathematics higher level teaching assistants to support qualified teachers.
	Professional development, support and guidance to teachers through the National Strategies, the network of Science Learning Centres and the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics. This includes renewing the Primary Framework for Mathematics last month.
	An accredited diploma to give science and mathematics teachers without an initial specialism in the subject the knowledge and skills to teach physics, chemistry or mathematics effectively.

Secular Schools

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether he has received any expressions of interest in establishing atheist or secular voluntary-aided schools on the same basis as maintained faith schools;
	(2)  whether it is his policy to permit the creation of atheist or secular schools within the maintained sector on the same basis as voluntary-aided faith schools.

Jim Knight: We have received a number of enquiries from a range of groups and organisations expressing interest in establishing new maintained schools. Schools of any faith or ethos may come into the maintained sector provided they meet the requirements for maintained schools and where parents and the local community want them. Promoters can propose voluntary or foundation schools.
	Decisions about whether new schools should open are made locally, following consultation, by the School Organisation Committee or schools adjudicator if the committee are not unanimous. Ministers play no role in the decision making process. Decisions are made on the merits of the individual proposals, and in the light of local circumstances.
	All maintained schools must deliver the national curriculum and must also provide religious education and collective worship.

Special Educational Needs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will bring forward provisions to require local education authorities to decide within 26 weeks of a written request for a statement of special educational needs whether to issue such a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Education (Special Educational Needs) (England) (Consolidation) Regulations 2001 already require local authorities to draw up statements of special educational needs (SEN) within set time limits. Under these regulations local authorities have to tell parents within 16 weeks of a request for assessment of a child's SEN whether they intend to issue a statement. Local authorities have a further two weeks to draw up the proposed statement and a further eight weeks, making 26 weeks in all, to issue the final statement.
	There is already a local authority performance indicator for producing draft statements within 18 weeks and the Department committed itself in its response to the Education and Skills Committee's report on SEN to establish a new performance indicator for completing final statements within 26 weeks to complement the current one.

Special Educational Needs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what proportion of special educational needs co-ordinators in maintained schools are  (a) qualified teachers and  (b) teaching assistants;
	(2)  which schools have more than 10 per cent. of pupils with statements of special educational needs;
	(3)  which local authorities maintain statements of special educational needs for  (a) fewer than two per cent. of pupils and  (b) over four per cent. of pupils;
	(4)  what percentage of children permanently excluded from maintained schools in each of the last five years had special educational needs;
	(5)  which  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools have 50 per cent. of pupils with special educational needs;
	(6)  what percentage of children diagnosed as having social, emotional or behavioural difficulties were given statements of special educational needs in each of the last five years;
	(7)  how many new statements of special educational needs were issued in 2005.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information is not collected centrally on the number or status of special educational needs coordinators in maintained schools.
	All special schools would be expected to have more than 10 per cent. of pupils with a statement of special educational needs (SEN). The available information on the maintained schools which have more than 10 per cent. of pupils with a statement of SEN has been placed in the Library. Some of these schools will have special units or specially resourced provision.
	Information on the local authorities which maintain statements of SEN for fewer than 2 per cent. of pupils has been placed in the Library. There are no authorities which maintain statements of SEN for more than 4 per cent. of pupils.
	Information on the percentage of children with special educational needs permanently excluded from maintained school in each of the five years was published in the Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools and Exclusion Appeals in England 2004-05 June 2006 available at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000662/index.shtml
	A table has been placed in the Library.
	Information on maintained primary and secondary schools which have 50 per cent. of pupils with SEN has been placed in the Library.
	Information was collected for the first time in 2004 on the primary and, where appropriate, secondary needs of pupils supported in school at School Action Plus or with statements of SEN. The following table shows, for the three years 2004-06, the number of pupils with statements who had behavioural, emotional and social difficulties as their primary need.
	There are a number of sensitivities about categorising pupils by type of SEN. It is important that anyone using the data should understand the limitations of the data's reliability and validity. The range of factors which may affect the recorded data include the local interpretation of definitions; classification of children with multiple needs; differences in diagnoses between education and health professionals and availability of school based provision.
	24,044 new statements were issued in 2005. The information derives from SEN2 returns made by local authorities in January each year.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary and special schools( 1) : Number and percentage of pupils with behaviour, emotional and social difficulties (BESD)( 2. ) Position in January each year: 2004 to 2006, England 
			   Number  Percentage 
			 2004 32,570 13.8 
			 2005 32,290 13.9 
			 2006 31,910 14.1 
			 (1)Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (2)Excludes dually registered pupils.  Source: Schools' Census

Special Educational Needs

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the local funding policy is for special educational needs at the West Somerset college.

Parmjit Dhanda: Since 1997, total revenue funding per pupil has increased by 1,440 (47 per cent.) in real terms. Following the introduction of the Dedicated Schools Grant in April 2006 all local authorities and schools have received a multi-year budget covering the period 2006 to 2008. In 2006-07, the funding for Somerset increased by 6.7 per cent. per pupil over the 2005-06 baseline funding level. In 2007-08, it will increase by a further 6.5 per cent. per pupil representing an overall increase of 13.6 per cent. per pupil over the two year period.
	It is for local authorities in consultation with their local schools forum to decide on the detailed distribution of the dedicated schools grant including the amount for funding allocated to special educational needs.

Special Educational Needs

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to increase funding for special educational needs in Coventry.

Jim Knight: Since 1997, total revenue funding per pupil has increased by 1,440 (47 per cent.) in real terms. Following the introduction of the Dedicated Schools Grant in April 2006 all local authorities and schools have received a multi-year budget covering the period 2006 to 2008. In 2006-07 the funding for Coventry increased by 6.6 per cent. per pupil over the 2005-06 baseline funding level. In 2007-08 it will increase by a further 6.7 per cent. per pupil representing an overall increase of 13.7 per cent. per pupil over the two-year period.
	It is for local authorities in consultation with their local Schools Forum to decide on the detailed distribution of the Dedicated Schools Grant including the amount for funding allocated to special educational needs.

Sign Language

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the merits of teaching sign language up to GCSE level.

Jim Knight: Sign language is not a National Curriculum subject, but schools and further education colleges are free to offer sign language programmes to pupils to meet local needs and preferences. Whilst there is not a GCSE in British Sign Language, there are a number of British Sign Language and other signing media qualifications from simple awareness to degree level.

Statemented Children

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children were statemented in each local education authority in the last academic year for which figures are available.

Parmjit Dhanda: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Student Maintenance Grants

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1926W, on student maintenance grants, what the basis is of the estimate that 30 per cent. of new full-time English domiciled students would receive a full grant.

Bill Rammell: The Department's forecasts that around 30 per cent. of new full-time English domiciled students who started their course in September 2006 will be eligible to receive the full maintenance grant is based on data from the Student Loans Company. This includes household income assessment and HE grant entitlement data for students who applied for support in the 2005/06 academic year. We also take into account growth in household income between 2005/06 and the current academic year.
	Figures on the distribution of the new maintenance grant will be published for the first time in the National Statistics Statistical First Release Student Support for Higher Education in England, academic year 2006/07 (Provisional) on 28 November 2006.

Teach First

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the Teach First programme is planned to be extended to Liverpool and Birmingham; and to which cities it will be further extended.

Jim Knight: Plans for the further expansion of Teach First will be announced in the next couple of months.

Teacher/Teaching Assistants

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher assistants were employed in each  (a) local education authority and  (b) constituency in each of the last 20 years.

Jim Knight: Table 1 provides the full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants in the maintained sector by local authority and Government Office Region in each January from 1997 to 2006. Information prior to 1997 is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Table 2 provides the full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants employed in the local authority maintained sector by constituency in each January from 1997 to 2006. This information is not available for years prior to 1997.
	
		
			  Table 1: Full-time equivalent teaching assistants in the local authority( 1)  maintained sector in England: January of each year 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Gateshead 190 200 210 220 300 320 370 350 450 480 
			 Newcastle upon Type 270 300 310 330 410 330 480 580 700 620 
			 North Tyneside 200 220 220 240 270 180 300 250 290 430 
			 South Tyneside 160 160 160 180 250 350 280 420 440 470 
			 Sunderland 420 400 440 460 610 510 690 750 810 850 
			 Hartlepool 100 110 120 140 210 140 260 250 310 310 
			 Middlesbrough 210 200 180 210 280 360 440 520 530 520 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 150 170 160 170 180 120 200 250 240 380 
			 Stockton on Tees 210 220 230 280 340 210 280 290 380 430 
			 Former Durham 640  
			 Darlington  120 130 140 170 200 210 190 270 300 
			 Durham (post  1 April 1997)  550 580 620 690 650 820 990 1,090 1,100 
			 Northumberland 320 340 380 450 560 650 720 800 910 1,040 
			  North East 2,867 2,990 3.130 3,450 4,280 4,010 5.060 5,630 6,430 6,930 
			
			 Cumbria 610 820 660 730 640 1,100 1,110 1,150 1,200 1,310 
			 Former Cheshire 1,130 1,240 
			 Cheshire (post  1 April 1998)   830 870 1,020 1,120 1,230 1,350 1,530 1,740 
			 Halton   190 200 240 250 270 320 320 330 
			 Warrington   250 270 320 370 380 440 510 630 
			 Bolton 390 430 480 570 650 790 830 950 1,050 1,070 
			 Bury 270 260 280 330 360 460 480 540 590 640 
			 Manchester 740 750 750 810 1,080 1,430 1,610 1,750 1,880 1,920 
			 Oldham 390 410 430 470 560 580 630 690 780 830 
			 Rochdale 260 270 290 340 530 680 710 760 640 860 
			 Salford 430 440 450 480 530 700 570 660 790 780 
			 Stockport 340 360 310 410 510 670 700 750 810 780 
			 Tameside 280 290 310 360 490 360 420 460 520 660 
			 Trafford 190 200 220 230 300 230 300 380 420 440 
			 Wigan 340 390 420 430 560 440 740 800 880 980 
			 Former Lancashire 1,780 2,000 
			 Lancashire (post 1 April 1998)   1,670 1,630 2,190 1,960 3,130 3,300 3,570 3,890 
			 Blackburn with Darwen   300 350 430 360 530 580 610 650 
			 Blackpool   190 220 290 190 390 430 480 480 
			 Knowsley 210 230 260 280 350 470 430 490 480 460 
			 Liverpool 450 490 520 610 920 720 1,150 1,150 1,190 1,130 
			 St. Helens 260 270 290 310 390 420 480 530 640 610 
			 Sefton 360 380 410 470 580 490 650 680 750 780 
			 Wirral 320 350 390 420 570 620 780 790 850 1,020 
			  North West 8,750 9,370 9,920 10,990 13,700 14,400 17,500 18,950 20,700 22,020 
			
			 Kingston-Upon-Hull. City of 370 400 440 460 540 510 540 640 880 920 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 340 370 410 470 550 500 650 800 880 950 
			 North East Lincolnshire 220 240 260 310 460 520 570 650 630 690 
			 North Lincolnshire 180 200 240 270 330 430 450 510 550 600 
			 North Yorkshire (post 1 April 1996) 440 540 560 630 800 1,150 1,190 1,410 1,540 1,710 
			 York 140 160 170 220 250 350 370 400 440 500 
			 Barnsley 360 360 360 350 400 610 670 680 680 680 
			 Doncaster 520 460 470 620 640 780 810 860 970 840 
			 Rotherham 280 310 330 410 540 580 770 880 970 900 
			 Sheffield 580 640 710 800 1,080 790 1,200 1,230 1,360 1,590 
			 Bradford 1,240 1,200 1,230 1,370 1,590 1,600 1,870 1,880 1,980 2,000 
			 Calderdale 370 400 420 520 630 720 770 820 680 860 
			 Kirklees 580 620 670 970 1,120 1,180 1,140 1.270 1,390 1,490 
			 Leeds 1,560 1,670 1,670 1,780 1,950 2,380 2,470 2,460 2,550 2,500 
			 Wakefield 540 580 570 650 780 950 960 940 970 1,090 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 7,700 8,160 8,500 9,830 11,660 13,030 14,430 15,420 16,680 17,330 
			
			 Former Derbyshire 1,180  
			 Derbyshire (post 1 April 1997)  930 990 1,160 1,460 1,660 1,720 1,820 1,980 2,190 
			 Derby  360 380 430 510 590 670 760 830 930 
			 Former Leicestershire 940  
			 Leicestershire (post 1 April 1997)  580 640 760 920 970 1,190 1,150 1,630 1,730 
			 Leicester  470 520 540 620 730 900 930 1,120 1,090 
			 Rutland  50 50 70 70 80 100 100 120 120 
			 Lincolnshire 810 820 890 990 1,250 1,550 1,610 1,980 2,190 2,370 
			 Northamptonshire 810 880 990 1,090 1,330 1,310 1,330 1,360 1,680 1,940 
			 Former Nottinghamshire 1,310 1,20 
			 Nottinghamshire (post 1 April 1998)   1,000 1,090 1,350 1,600 1,860 1,770 1,990 2,060 
			 Nottingham   540 570 720 770 900 950 1,010 1,060 
			  East Midlands 5,050 5,500 6,010 6,690 8,220 9,270 10,090 10,830 12,560 13,490 
			
			 Former Hereford and Worcester 630 800 
			 Herefordshire   190 210 250 190 330 370 410 420 
			 Worcestershire   680 760 820 930 1,290 1,450 1,580 1,580 
			 Former Shropshire 510 540 
			 Shropshire (post 1 April 1996)   350 390 460 560 640 690 780 750 
			 Telford and Wrekin   260 280 370 390 480 530 580 640 
			 Former Staffordshire 1.270  
			 Staffordshire (post 1 April 1997)  960 1,060 1,160 1,370 1,310 1,750 1,820 2,070 2,080 
			 Stoke-on-Trent  460 460 490 540 460 620 750 820 830 
			 Warwickshire 530 630 700 980 1,040 1,240 1,250 1,470 1,590 1,630 
			 Birmingham 2,030 2,080 1,630 1,740 2,170 2,970 3,130 3,320 3,930 4,390 
			 Coventry 390 440 440 670 820 690 640 740 770 770 
			 Dudley 350 410 420 530 680 830 880 960 1,060 1,200 
			 Sandwell 460 460 490 520 650 500 600 650 850 970 
			 Solihull 280 300 300 320 370 410 470 520 610 630 
			 Walsall 380 390 380 440 580 700 810 840 950 820 
			 Wolverhampton 390 400 420 470 570 230 360 480 580 720 
			  West Midlands 7,220 7,870 7,770 8,970 10,670 11,420 13,260 14,600 16,590 17,430 
			
			 Former Cambridgeshire 1,240 1,370 
			 Cambridgeshire (post 1 April 1998)   1,000 1,090 1,230 1,420 1,480 1,830 2,020 1,880 
			 Peterborough   380 500 540 680 720 780 910 1,050 
			 Norfolk 730 850 930 1,050 1,490 1,710 1,740 1,870 2,310 2,570 
			 Suffolk 500 610 660 770 1,100 920 1,430 1,350 1,460 1,540 
			 Former Bedfordshire 790  
			 Bedfordshire (post 1 April 1997)  580 650 710 820 950 1,070 1,140 1,240 1,340 
			 Luton  290 360 430 530 560 620 720 760 820 
			 Former Essex 1,720 1,840 
			 Essex (post  1 April 19 96)   1,620 1,760 2,100 3,140 3,500 3,660 3,810 3,920 
			 Southend-on-Sea   220 280 350 460 560 600 640 650 
			 Thurrock   210 290 340 430 540 550 570 630 
			 Hertfordshire 1,080 1,270 1,250 1,510 1,800 1,740 2,710 2,870 3,110 2,910 
			  East of England 6,060 6,800 7,280 8,380 10,300 12,000 14,370 15,360 16,850 17,290 
			
			 City of London   10 10 10 10 
			 Camden 200 240 250 300 360 440 470 550 580 640 
			 Greenwich 360 400 430 510 650 650 730 750 820 920 
			 Hackney 210 250 290 380 420 490 530 810 680 720 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 190 200 210 250 240 260 300 360 380 430 
			 Islington 250 250 270 350 360 350 480 520 560 620 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 130 140 140 170 210 220 260 270 300 280 
			 Lambeth 300 350 390 500 560 580 640 720 770 750 
			 Lewisham 280 290 320 410 570 470 560 620 670 720 
			 Southwark 350 420 430 650 810 750 710 900 1,030 1,070 
			 Tower Hamlets 370 400 450 510 800 970 950 1,070 1,150 1,320 
			 Wandsworth 330 370 370 460 470 380 530 590 730 800 
			 Westminster 150 170 160 190 190 310 280 330 420 370 
			 Barking and Dagenham 300 290 310 320 400 500 510 560 540 560 
			 Barnet 290 340 400 480 550 740 720 850 980 1,070 
			 Bexley 200 230 280 310 380 320 560 550 600 570 
			 Brent 260 300 360 390 440 450 470 560 640 680 
			 Bromley 210 230 230 270 360 440 500 520 550 620 
			 Croydon 400 410 510 530 660 630 870 950 1,010 980 
			 Ealing 340 360 370 400 510 450 530 630 690 670 
			 Enfield 250 290 290 500 590 810 680 970 1,050 1,160 
			 Haringey 350 360 380 420 490 650 680 810 900 960 
			 Harrow 270 270 290 300 300 330 430 480 540 550 
			 Havering 170 170 200 260 300 310 520 590 680 660 
			 Hillingdon 300 340 380 420 510 520 590 620 740 800 
			 Hounslow 280 280 290 330 380 400 400 550 580 680 
			 Kingston upon Thames 130 130 150 170 220 220 250 310 360 380 
			 Merton 190 200 220 240 290 250 300 370 530 460 
			 Newham 280 280 390 500 960 720 1,070 1,190 1,300 980 
			 Redbridge 190 230 270 370 450 580 620 730 820 910 
			 Richmond upon Thames 100 110 110 130 160 210 220 250 330 350 
			 Sutton 160 170 210 230 260 340 310 360 430 360 
			 Waltham Forest 380 400 410 470 490 610 640 670 760 760 
			  London 8,160 8,870 9,790 11,740 14,330 15,340 17,510 19,800 22,140 22,820 
			
			 Former Berkshire 940 970 
			 Bracknell Forest   140 130 170 110 190 190 210 220 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead   150 160 220 210 220 280 300 330 
			 West Berkshire   190 200 230 330 350 430 530 490 
			 Reading   200 200 240 280 280 280 320 250 
			 Slough   230 250 300 340 440 450 530 530 
			 Wokingham   210 220 230 290 290 360 380 380 
			 Former Buckinghamshire 650  
			 Buckinghamshire (post 1 April 1997)  460 470 490 570 750 710 840 950 1.100 
			 Milton Keynes  260 270 280 300 310 450 530 530 680 
			 Former East Sussex 700  
			 East Sussex (post 1 April 1997)  490 560 650 720 1,000 1,070 1,350 1,380 1,330 
			 Brighton and Hove  270 310 320 380 410 370 400 460 510 
			 Former Hampshire 2.560  
			 Hampshire (post 1 April 1997)  1,880 1,920 1,960 2,120 2,900 3,010 3,160 3,280 3,210 
			 Portsmouth  330 400 410 480 600 600 630 830 660 
			 Southampton  370 430 470 490 610 630 640 660 660 
			 Isle of Wight 160 210 250 270 320 300 360 370 450 430 
			 Former Kent 2,330 2,490 
			 Kent (post  1 April 1998)   2,210 2,470 2,750 3,620 4,160 4,330 4,860 4,660 
			 Medway   440 670 830 710 830 900 960 930 
			 Oxfordshire 780 830 860 930 1,030 1,080 1,280 1,440 1,670 1,830 
			 Surrey 1,170 1,290 1,360 1,500 1,570 1,960 2,350 2,390 2,610 2,720 
			 West Sussex 530 650 670 710 780 1,090 1,310 1,330 1,480 1,660 
			  South East 9,830 10,480 11,250 12,290 13,720 16,910 18,890 20,300 22,400 22,360 
			
			 Isles of Scilly 10  10 10   
			 Bath and North East Somerset 170 170 160 160 180 70 100 80 170 270 
			 City of Bristol 650 700 690 770 850 920 920 1,040 1,110 1,110 
			 North Somerset 190 220 220 260 290 310 380 380 450 430 
			 South Gloucestershire 270 280 300 350 430 480 560 550 590 640 
			 Cornwall 790 870 960 960 990 1,000 1,170 1,190 1,860 1,630 
			 Former Devon 810 960 
			 Devon (post  1 April 1998)   630 770 1,020 1,360 1,740 2,090 2,190 2,380 
			 Plymouth   320 310 720 660 710 650 750 870 
			 Torbay   140 170 180 200 220 290 280 300 
			 Former Dorset 430  
			 Dorset (post  1 April 1997)  330 390 580 660 780 890 1,180 1,300 1,350 
			 Poole  110 150 180 220 400 390 430 420 460 
			 Bournemouth  130 170 210 240 380 380 410 400 460 
			 Gloucestershire 470 490 550 590 740 710 750 700 910 1,030 
			 Somerset 610 660 680 710 830 920 990 980 1,100 1,380 
			 Former Wiltshire 530  
			 Wiltshire (post  1 April 1997)  340 350 350 410 560 850 780 750 750 
			 Swindon  240 230 260 310 220 220 410 370 380 
			  South West 4,940 5,490 5,940 6,670 8,090 8,980 10,070 11,160 12,650 13,440 
			
			  England 60,580 65,540 69,600 79,020 94,990 105,360 121,190 132,060 147,000 153,100 
			 (1) The first, second and third phases of local government reorganisation came into effect on 1 April 1996, 1 April 1997 and 1 April 1998 respectively The new authorities are shown directly below their former parent local education authorities.  Note: Totals may not appear equal to the sum of the component parts because of rounding.  Source: Annual Schools' Census (ASC) 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Maintained nursery, primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units( 1, 2)  full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants, position in January each year: 1997 to 2006 by parliamentary constituency 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000( 3)  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 England 60,580 65,540 69,600 79,020 94,990 105,360 121,190 132,060 147,000 153,100 
			
			 Aldershot 190 200 200 200 200 260 270 320 330 290 
			 Aldridge-Brownhills 90 100 100 120 140 190 210 240 270 240 
			 Altrincham and Sale West 70 90 100 100 120 100 110 160 170 190 
			 Amber Valley 110 120 130 160 200 230 250 250 290 330 
			 Arundel and South Downs 40 40 60 50 70 130 120 160 170 200 
			 Ashfield 150 150 170 170 210 250 260 270 290 310 
			 Ashford 120 180 180 190 190 250 280 330 380 350 
			 Ashton under Lyne 120 130 140 140 190 180 190 250 320 330 
			 Aylesbury 110 110 120 130 170 150 160 260 240 290 
			 Banbury 130 140 140 160 170 180 240 270 300 280 
			 Barking 170 170 180 180 220 200 210 250 240 250 
			 Barnsley Central 150 150 140 140 160 220 240 250 250 240 
			 Barnsley East and Mexborough 160 150 150 160 180 240 260 260 280 260 
			 Barnsley West and Penistone 100 110 110 120 130 220 270 260 240 260 
			 Barrow and Furness 120 110 130 140 180 230 230 240 260 280 
			 Basildon 140 160 160 150 200 320 340 380 380 370 
			 Basingstoke 210 230 210 200 230 320 330 310 330 310 
			 Bassetlaw 100 100 120 120 160 200 210 230 260 260 
			 Bath 90 90 100 100 110 40 70 50 90 130 
			 Batley and Spen 150 150 160 220 260 250 240 280 300 340 
			 Battersea 90 100 90 130 130 90 140 130 180 180 
			 Beaconsfield 60 70 60 70 80 90 100 100 120 110 
			 Beckenham 80 100 90 90 120 160 190 190 190 200 
			 Bedford 170 180 200 220 260 310 340 310 370 390 
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed 60 70 80 100 130 140 160 170 190 220 
			 Bethnal Green and Bow 240 250 270 310 460 570 590 650 700 780 
			 Beverley and Holderness 110 110 110 150 190 170 210 270 280 310 
			 Bexhill and Battle 80 90 100 110 110 140 190 190 200 200 
			 Bexleyheath and Crayford 90 110 130 150 190 120 250 240 250 270 
			 Billericay 110 110 120 140 160 250 270 270 300 330 
			 Birkenhead 90 90 110 110 170 150 210 190 210 260 
			 Birmingham, Edgbaston 120 110 90 90 100 180 210 230 240 260 
			 Birmingham, Erdington 190 190 150 140 230 280 250 270 340 360 
			 Birmingham, Hall Green 120 120 100 90 120 180 180 210 250 290 
			 Birmingham, Hodge Hill 170 190 140 180 220 300 330 290 350 390 
			 Birmingham, Ladywood 280 290 230 270 340 410 390 450 550 610 
			 Birmingham, Northfield 190 180 150 140 130 190 260 270 320 340 
			 Birmingham, Perry Barr 200 210 150 190 220 290 280 360 410 450 
			 Birmingham, Selly Oak 170 170 160 170 220 290 310 330 370 430 
			 Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath 320 340 230 270 330 460 500 450 610 720 
			 Birmingham, Yardley 110 120 90 80 100 170 160 200 210 220 
			 Bishop Auckland 90 100 120 120 150 140 150 210 210 210 
			 Blaby 50 70 80 90 130 140 150 190 220 240 
			 Blackburn 220 230 260 310 370 300 400 460 480 540 
			 Blackpool North and Fleetwood 80 100 90 110 140 140 230 250 290 270 
			 Blackpool South 130 150 160 180 240 140 290 310 350 360 
			 Blaydon 60 70 70 70 110 90 150 140 170 180 
			 Blyth Valley 90 90 100 110 140 180 170 200 240 270 
			 Bognor Regis and Littlehampton 50 60 60 70 80 140 120 150 170 180 
			 Bolsover 110 130 140 160 190 220 220 240 260 290 
			 Bolton North East 140 140 160 190 210 270 280 320 360 370 
			 Bolton South East 140 160 180 240 250 310 320 360 410 370 
			 Bolton West 100 120 140 140 180 200 220 250 260 300 
			 Bootle 130 130 150 160 200 160 220 230 260 280 
			 Boston and Skegness 90 110 110 130 160 190 170 290 250 270 
			 Bosworth 60 70 80 100 130 160 180 170 240 290 
			 Bournemouth East 40 50 70 100 120 180 170 190 200 210 
			 Bournemouth West 50 80 100 110 130 200 200 220 200 250 
			 Bracknell 100 120 150 140 180 120 200 190 220 250 
			 Bradford North 300 280 300 330 390 400 420 450 500 490 
			 Bradford South 230 210 230 240 240 280 320 360 360 370 
			 Bradford West 320 310 300 360 430 430 550 520 510 530 
			 Braintree 120 120 160 180 180 300 300 340 300 330 
			 Brent East 80 100 120 130 150 170 160 210 210 240 
			 Brent North 90 100 120 130 140 120 140 160 210 230 
			 Brent South 100 100 120 130 150 170 190 190 230 230 
			 Brentford and Isleworth 110 120 130 140 160 180 190 250 250 310 
			 Brentwood and Ongar 50 60 60 80 90 150 150 180 190 190 
			 Bridgwater 130 150 150 150 180 220 240 210 230 310 
			 Brigg and Goole 80 110 130 120 150 170 180 240 250 270 
			 Brighton, Kemptown 80 110 120 120 140 160 130 160 200 190 
			 Brighton, Pavilion 80 90 110 120 130 140 120 120 150 150 
			 Bristol East 140 130 120 150 160 190 180 200 210 210 
			 Bristol North West 220 220 220 240 260 270 290 330 340 360 
			 Bristol South 220 250 220 270 300 310 300 350 390 360 
			 Bristol West 80 90 100 100 130 150 150 180 180 210 
			 Bromley and Chislehurst 40 60 60 80 100 110 160 150 170 200 
			 Bromsgrove 90 120 130 140 150 130 240 250 290 290 
			 Broxbourne 70 90 90 110 120 150 220 230 240 240 
			 Broxtowe 90 100 90 100 130 150 150 170 200 200 
			 Buckingham 50 60 70 70 60 110 100 140 150 170 
			 Burnley 160 170 180 180 220 220 290 270 330 360 
			 Burton 120 130 160 180 200 220 300 300 340 340 
			 Bury North 160 150 160 180 200 240 260 290 310 330 
			 Bury South 120 110 120 150 170 220 220 250 290 310 
			 Bury St. Edmunds 80 100 110 120 170 140 200 200 250 220 
			 Calder Valley 170 180 200 240 280 330 350 380 400 410 
			 Camberwell and Peckham 130 160 190 260 310 270 270 330 380 410 
			 Cambridge 170 180 180 180 200 220 210 250 270 230 
			 Cannock Chase 110 130 140 150 190 190 220 240 260 250 
			 Canterbury 130 130 150 180 210 270 270 310 320 390 
			 Carlisle 110 110 120 130 140 180 180 170 160 200 
			 Carshalton and Wallington 100 110 130 150 160 220 190 210 220 160 
			 Castle Point 80 90 100 110 120 200 210 210 240 250 
			 Central Suffolk and North Ipswich 60 90 90 110 160 140 200 160 180 260 
			 Charnwood 60 60 70 100 110 100 120 140 240 280 
			 Chatham and Aylesford 180 160 130 210 280 250 260 300 350 310 
			 Cheadle 90 100 100 130 160 220 220 240 260 240 
			 Cheltenham 70 70 80 90 120 90 80 80 120 110 
			 Chesham and Amersham 80 100 90 100 110 170 160 170 190 260 
			 Chesterfield 130 140 150 170 210 230 240 250 270 300 
			 Chichester 70 90 90 110 110 130 220 200 210 260 
			 Chingford and Woodford Green 100 110 130 150 150 210 210 220 250 280 
			 Chipping Barnet 100 120 130 160 190 250 240 260 310 320 
			 Chorley 100 110 120 140 180 150 260 280 310 330 
			 Christchurch 40 50 70 100 110 100 160 210 230 250 
			 Cities of London and Westminster 80 80 70 90 90 110 130 120 170 130 
			 City of Chester 140 150 150 150 160 160 160 170 220 260 
			 City of Durham 90 100 110 120 120 110 150 170 190 190 
			 City of York 100 120 130 160 180 230 250 270 290 330 
			 Cleethorpes 120 140 150 180 240 270 280 330 300 320 
			 Colchester 120 130 140 160 210 260 320 310 310 330 
			 Colne Valley 90 90 100 180 220 230 230 240 290 300 
			 Congleton 70 70 80 80 100 100 120 140 160 200 
			 Copeland 110 110 110 120 150 180 190 180 210 200 
			 Corby 120 140 150 180 190 250 200 180 300 270 
			 Cotswold 60 60 70 80 100 90 120 110 120 140 
			 Coventry North East 130 150 150 240 300 210 190 220 230 240 
			 Coventry North West 110 130 120 200 230 250 210 220 250 260 
			 Coventry South 140 160 170 230 280 220 230 280 270 250 
			 Crawley 100 130 140 110 140 160 230 220 230 220 
			 Crewe and Nantwich 100 110 120 120 150 150 170 190 200 240 
			 Crosby 90 90 100 120 150 130 150 170 190 210 
			 Croydon Central 120 130 150 170 230 230 220 320 330 320 
			 Croydon North 160 160 210 210 250 210 310 340 360 350 
			 Croydon South 100 110 140 140 160 190 290 290 320 320 
			 Dagenham 130 130 130 140 180 300 300 310 300 310 
			 Darlington 120 120 130 140 170 180 200 170 240 270 
			 Dartford 140 160 140 150 170 260 310 330 360 340 
			 Daventry 110 110 140 140 170 170 170 210 230 280 
			 Denton and Reddish 130 130 140 170 210 180 210 220 210 240 
			 Derby North 160 160 160 190 220 260 310 350 360 370 
			 Derby South 170 170 180 210 250 280 300 340 380 460 
			 Devizes 80 90 90 110 120 150 140 220 180 200 
			 Dewsbury 150 160 170 250 290 290 280 320 350 380 
			 Doncaster Central 160 150 140 190 200 250 270 310 340 290 
			 Doncaster North 130 110 120 170 160 210 200 200 260 190 
			 Don Valley 160 160 150 200 210 240 250 260 280 280 
			 Dover 130 150 160 170 200 250 290 290 330 310 
			 Dudley North 140 160 170 200 240 290 310 340 370 440 
			 Dudley South 110 130 120 150 210 250 280 310 320 330 
			 Dulwich and West Norwood 120 150 150 210 230 230 220 280 300 340 
			 Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush 90 100 100 120 120 130 170 220 250 240 
			 Ealing North 170 180 190 190 240 210 250 280 300 310 
			 Ealing, Southall 140 140 150 160 210 180 200 270 280 280 
			 Easington 90 100 100 110 110 110 140 170 170 200 
			 East Devon 30 50 60 60 100 140 160 200 210 230 
			 East Ham 130 110 160 210 420 330 430 530 570 380 
			 East Hampshire 160 150 150 150 170 250 260 260 240 270 
			 East Surrey 130 140 160 170 170 230 240 250 280 290 
			 East Worthing and Shoreham 60 70 70 90 90 140 160 120 170 190 
			 East Yorkshire 80 90 110 120 140 120 180 210 240 300 
			 Eastbourne 100 100 130 130 150 200 230 300 300 310 
			 Eastleigh 130 120 120 140 140 190 190 200 200 190 
			 Eccles 160 180 180 190 210 270 220 270 320 380 
			 Eddisbury 90 100 110 130 150 160 200 200 210 240 
			 Edmonton 80 90 80 190 210 290 300 330 360 430 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston 90 100 100 110 150 170 170 190 210 250 
			 Elmet 170 180 190 210 220 250 280 290 270 270 
			 Eltham 90 100 100 150 200 200 230 210 250 330 
			 Enfield North 110 140 140 210 250 330 360 400 430 470 
			 Enfield, Southgate 60 70 70 110 130 190 230 250 260 280 
			 Epping Forest 100 90 110 120 140 200 210 210 230 200 
			 Epsom and Ewell 110 100 110 130 130 140 240 250 230 230 
			 Erewash 130 150 150 180 220 240 240 250 270 290 
			 Erith and Thamesmead 130 150 160 190 250 220 310 320 340 350 
			 Esher and Walton 70 70 70 80 90 120 150 140 170 170 
			 Exeter 100 120 120 140 190 250 290 350 350 370 
			 Falmouth and Camborne 150 190 200 210 220 210 220 210 400 350 
			 Fareham 150 160 170 160 170 240 260 260 260 260 
			 Faversham and Mid Kent 110 100 130 150 150 230 230 260 290 250 
			 Feltham and Heston 160 160 170 180 220 220 210 300 320 370 
			 Finchley and Golders Green 100 120 130 160 190 250 210 280 300 330 
			 Folkestone and Hythe 180 200 220 220 270 340 360 390 460 410 
			 Forest of Dean 70 60 80 80 110 120 130 120 160 180 
			 Fylde 70 80 80 110 130 100 190 190 200 220 
			 Gainsborough 100 100 110 130 180 210 230 280 300 330 
			 Gateshead East and Washington West 110 110 120 120 170 170 190 150 240 260 
			 Gedling 100 110 110 130 150 160 170 160 200 190 
			 Gillingham 170 170 200 280 330 280 340 340 340 340 
			 Gloucester 130 130 150 160 190 170 180 170 220 290 
			 Gosport 120 140 130 150 160 220 220 240 250 250 
			 Grantham and Stamford 150 140 150 160 200 230 250 280 310 360 
			 Gravesham 150 160 170 210 230 250 270 320 340 330 
			 Great Grimsby 120 130 140 170 250 310 330 350 400 420 
			 Great Yarmouth 80 110 130 140 200 250 230 250 340 370 
			 Greenwich and Woolwich 180 190 220 240 300 310 320 350 380 400 
			 Guildford 120 140 140 140 170 210 270 230 260 300 
			 Hackney North and Stoke Newington 100 130 140 180 210 270 290 320 340 380 
			 Hackney South and Shoreditch 110 120 150 200 210 220 250 280 350 340 
			 Halesowen and Rowley Regis 90 100 120 140 160 180 170 210 250 260 
			 Halifax 200 220 210 280 350 390 420 440 480 450 
			 Haltemprice and Howden 110 120 140 140 170 160 180 220 290 290 
			 Halton 120 130 130 140 170 190 200 240 240 250 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 140 150 150 180 170 180 210 220 240 260 
			 Hampstead and Highgate 90 110 120 140 160 190 210 250 260 290 
			 Harborough 90 130 130 140 180 180 270 190 250 250 
			 Harlow 140 130 140 150 190 300 320 310 340 360 
			 Harrogate and Knaresborough 70 100 100 120 140 180 210 220 250 260 
			 Harrow East 160 150 160 160 150 160 230 230 270 270 
			 Harrow West 110 120 130 140 150 160 200 250 270 280 
			 Hartlepool 100 110 120 140 210 140 260 250 310 310 
			 Harwich 100 130 140 150 180 210 270 300 310 340 
			 Hastings and Rye 130 120 140 180 210 310 280 370 360 330 
			 Havant 160 160 150 160 200 250 260 270 280 300 
			 Hayes and Harlington 80 100 120 150 190 180 220 230 280 330 
			 Hazel Grove 80 80 70 90 110 160 170 190 200 200 
			 Hemel Hempstead 100 130 140 180 220 180 290 300 340 300 
			 Hemsworth 170 190 170 210 230 290 310 310 340 390 
			 Hendon 90 110 130 160 170 230 260 290 340 400 
			 Henley 150 150 140 160 180 190 210 240 260 250 
			 Hereford 100 110 120 140 150 120 200 230 250 270 
			 Hertford and Stortford 100 130 130 150 170 160 240 260 290 270 
			 Hertsmere 100 120 110 130 150 150 220 240 250 240 
			 Hexham 60 70 80 100 110 120 140 170 200 210 
			 Heywood and Middleton 110 120 130 150 240 300 320 330 350 320 
			 High Peak 120 130 170 180 220 250 270 270 270 310 
			 Hitchin and Harpenden 70 80 90 100 120 120 200 230 230 200 
			 Holborn and St. Pancras 110 120 130 160 200 250 250 300 320 350 
			 Hornchurch 60 60 60 80 110 110 190 200 230 210 
			 Hornsey and Wood Green 130 120 140 150 190 240 280 310 350 390 
			 Horsham 70 90 90 90 80 130 130 150 190 210 
			 Houghton and Washington East 110 110 120 120 150 160 210 240 240 250 
			 Hove 90 80 90 100 120 140 140 160 150 200 
			 Huddersfield 170 180 200 250 280 290 280 310 330 330 
			 Huntingdon 210 240 260 260 320 340 370 440 480 450 
			 Hyndburn 130 160 170 180 190 170 290 300 330 350 
			 Ilford North 80 100 110 160 190 250 300 310 390 410 
			 Ilford South 100 110 140 170 220 270 270 350 370 410 
			 Ipswich 80 110 110 120 180 150 240 240 250 270 
			 Isle of Wight 160 210 250 270 320 300 360 370 450 430 
			 Islington North 120 130 140 180 190 150 260 280 300 280 
			 Islington South and Finsbury 110 110 120 160 160 200 210 240 270 340 
			 Jarrow 90 90 100 100 140 200 150 230 240 260 
			 Keighley 210 220 210 230 270 260 310 310 340 340 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 70 60 60 80 100 100 110 120 130 120 
			 Kettering 150 160 170 190 250 220 240 230 260 340 
			 Kingston and Surbiton 90 90 100 120 140 180 200 240 280 290 
			 Kingston upon Hull East 140 140 150 160 170 190 210 250 300 350 
			 Kingston upon Hull North 130 150 170 190 210 180 200 210 310 300 
			 Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle 90 100 110 110 150 130 150 200 230 200 
			 Kingswood 130 140 150 160 200 220 250 250 270 290 
			 Knowsley North and Sefton East 150 170 180 200 240 310 310 320 300 310 
			 Knowsley South 100 110 130 140 180 240 220 260 270 250 
			 Lancaster and Wyre 80 100 110 120 140 120 200 230 220 260 
			 Leeds Central 280 280 300 340 350 430 450 450 450 420 
			 Leeds East 210 220 210 210 230 280 300 250 290 290 
			 Leeds North East 240 260 270 270 300 380 350 380 350 430 
			 Leeds North West 120 120 120 120 140 160 170 150 210 190 
			 Leeds West 200 220 190 210 240 300 330 330 350 320 
			 Leicester East 160 160 180 190 230 280 330 370 410 410 
			 Leicester South 110 120 130 120 160 230 270 260 310 310 
			 Leicester West 160 190 210 220 230 220 300 300 410 370 
			 Leigh 100 110 120 130 170 110 210 230 260 270 
			 Leominster 60 70 80 90 110 80 140 150 190 180 
			 Lewes 60 70 90 90 100 140 160 210 240 210 
			 Lewisham, Deptford 100 110 130 150 210 120 160 180 200 210 
			 Lewisham East 90 80 80 120 170 150 170 180 190 210 
			 Lewisham West 100 100 110 140 200 200 220 260 280 270 
			 Leyton and Wanstead 100 90 90 120 150 180 180 170 230 280 
			 Lichfield 80 100 120 130 160 150 210 230 230 240 
			 Lincoln 140 140 140 140 180 240 250 290 340 390 
			 Liverpool, Garston 100 110 130 140 200 140 240 210 190 260 
			 Liverpool, Riverside 100 100 110 140 210 150 240 220 230 250 
			 Liverpool, Walton 80 90 100 120 180 170 210 260 270 240 
			 Liverpool, Wavertree 90 100 120 100 170 130 250 240 260 190 
			 Liverpool, West Derby 80 90 80 100 160 140 220 220 240 220 
			 Loughborough 90 100 100 110 150 170 180 160 260 270 
			 Louth and Horncastle 140 130 140 160 190 270 270 310 340 380 
			 Ludlow 70 80 90 90 110 140 150 170 200 180 
			 Luton North 130 140 200 240 280 310 380 410 460 520 
			 Luton South 140 160 170 200 260 280 260 340 350 340 
			 Macclesfield 100 120 130 120 140 160 160 190 210 220 
			 Maidenhead 70 80 100 120 140 150 150 180 220 240 
			 Maidstone and The Weald 120 110 140 150 180 210 290 270 320 270 
			 Makerfield 90 110 120 120 150 130 190 220 240 280 
			 Maldon and East Chelmsford 70 70 90 80 110 170 220 230 240 240 
			 Manchester, Blackley 160 150 160 170 220 340 370 410 450 450 
			 Manchester, Central 190 210 180 190 240 280 300 350 330 350 
			 Manchester, Gorton 150 150 160 180 260 280 360 380 420 440 
			 Manchester, Withington 120 130 120 140 180 290 300 330 390 380 
			 Mansfield 130 140 150 170 210 240 250 290 310 330 
			 Medway 130 130 160 230 260 240 290 320 360 370 
			 Meriden 160 170 170 190 210 220 270 300 340 350 
			 Mid Bedfordshire 70 90 110 130 150 160 200 240 250 260 
			 Mid Dorset and North Poole 60 80 120 150 170 280 270 300 320 350 
			 Mid Norfolk 70 80 100 120 170 180 200 210 230 270 
			 Mid Sussex 80 100 80 100 100 130 150 160 180 190 
			 Mid Worcestershire 70 100 100 120 140 150 190 210 230 230 
			 Middlesbrough 150 150 140 160 210 270 300 390 410 400 
			 Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland 100 110 100 100 130 140 200 220 200 250 
			 Milton Keynes South West 150 170 180 180 190 210 280 350 340 430 
			 Mitcham and Morden 120 130 140 150 180 150 200 210 330 270 
			 Mole Valley 90 110 130 140 140 180 200 200 240 260 
			 Morecambe and Lunesdale 120 140 150 150 190 140 280 310 310 320 
			 Morley and Rothwell 180 220 210 240 270 310 310 320 340 320 
			 New Forest East 140 120 130 130 150 200 210 220 240 210 
			 New Forest West 80 80 90 80 100 130 130 140 160 150 
			 Newark 110 130 140 150 170 230 250 270 270 280 
			 Newbury 100 100 130 130 150 200 230 300 340 330 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Central 60 60 70 80 90 60 130 150 170 160 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend 90 120 120 120 140 110 140 140 180 210 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne North 90 100 100 90 120 90 160 210 210 190 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme 130 130 140 150 160 150 190 190 240 240 
			 Normanton 130 130 130 150 180 230 250 240 250 280 
			 North Cornwall 180 200 220 240 240 220 300 220 400 340 
			 North Devon 90 100 100 120 160 210 280 310 340 370 
			 North Dorset 70 100 90 140 150 200 240 300 320 340 
			 North Durham 80 90 80 90 90 100 120 130 160 160 
			 North East Bedfordshire 100 110 130 160 190 240 250 280 320 360 
			 North East Cambridgeshire 120 150 150 190 210 290 310 390 390 290 
			 North East Derbyshire 70 90 90 110 150 170 180 200 210 240 
			 North East Hampshire 110 110 140 150 160 200 190 220 220 210 
			 North East Hertfordshire 90 120 110 130 170 140 240 250 280 270 
			 North East Milton Keynes 80 90 100 100 100 100 170 180 180 250 
			 North Essex 80 90 90 100 130 190 230 220 230 240 
			 North Norfolk 70 80 100 110 170 180 210 230 280 300 
			 North Shropshire 80 80 100 120 130 180 200 220 230 240 
			 North Southwark and Bermondsey 160 180 190 290 380 330 320 390 470 460 
			 North Swindon 100 120 100 130 160 140 120 220 190 210 
			 North Thanet 150 140 150 180 190 210 300 300 350 330 
			 North Tyneside 80 80 80 90 110 80 110 110 120 170 
			 North Warwickshire 140 160 170 230 240 290 280 320 330 340 
			 North West Cambridgeshire 160 150 160 230 260 310 340 410 470 500 
			 North West Durham 90 90 90 90 120 120 130 160 170 170 
			 North West Hampshire 180 190 200 200 190 290 280 310 300 300 
			 North West Leicestershire 80 80 100 130 130 150 200 180 260 250 
			 North West Norfolk 110 130 140 140 220 230 230 260 300 330 
			 North Wiltshire 80 70 80 80 90 140 150 170 180 200 
			 Northampton North 190 220 230 250 280 240 280 300 330 410 
			 Northampton South 120 120 140 140 200 210 200 210 250 330 
			 Northavon 120 130 120 160 200 200 250 240 250 260 
			 Norwich North 80 100 110 130 160 200 200 180 260 280 
			 Norwich South 140 150 150 170 200 230 210 240 310 340 
			 Nottingham East 150 160 160 170 210 230 270 310 300 310 
			 Nottingham North 210 220 250 270 340 360 420 410 470 500 
			 Nottingham South 100 100 120 130 160 180 200 210 230 240 
			 Nuneaton 110 120 140 190 190 250 230 280 310 320 
			 Old Bexley and Sidcup 70 70 90 90 110 110 180 180 200 160 
			 Oldham East and Saddleworth 140 140 150 170 220 210 230 260 290 330 
			 Oldham West and Royton 200 210 230 250 290 310 350 380 390 450 
			 Orpington 80 80 80 110 140 190 180 190 190 220 
			 Oxford East 190 180 210 240 290 300 350 330 380 380 
			 Oxford West and Abingdon 100 130 120 130 130 140 140 190 240 220 
			 Pendle 110 130 130 150 200 200 270 280 310 350 
			 Penrith and The Border 90 90 100 110 120 180 180 190 210 220 
			 Peterborough 240 280 250 330 350 440 470 510 580 670 
			 Plymouth, Devonport 120 160 190 170 370 320 380 350 350 470 
			 Plymouth, Sutton 50 50 80 90 200 180 180 150 220 220 
			 Pontefract and Castleford 150 170 160 160 210 250 250 240 240 270 
			 Poole 30 40 60 70 90 180 170 190 180 200 
			 Poplar and Canning Town 180 200 250 300 520 520 520 620 620 730 
			 Portsmouth North 170 180 210 230 270 340 330 350 530 370 
			 Portsmouth South 150 150 190 180 210 260 270 270 300 290 
			 Preston 170 190 190 200 250 240 350 360 370 420 
			 Pudsey 150 170 180 190 200 290 300 310 310 280 
			 Putney 120 120 140 150 160 130 180 220 220 250 
			 Rayleigh 60 70 80 90 100 170 210 230 240 220 
			 Reading East 130 150 160 150 190 240 260 270 260 200 
			 Reading West 160 140 150 150 170 230 220 240 310 250 
			 Redcar 100 120 120 120 120 80 130 150 170 250 
			 Redditch 80 100 110 130 130 150 200 240 220 240 
			 Regent's Park and Kensington North 140 180 170 200 200 300 270 330 400 370 
			 Reigate 110 120 130 140 160 160 180 210 230 220 
			 Ribble Valley 80 110 130 140 160 140 230 270 270 300 
			 Richmond (Yorks) 70 80 80 90 110 150 180 210 240 260 
			 Richmond Park 70 70 90 90 120 120 140 160 200 230 
			 Rochdale 140 150 150 180 270 360 370 400 450 490 
			 Rochford and Southend East 110 100 110 160 190 250 310 370 360 380 
			 Romford 30 40 50 80 90 110 150 170 200 190 
			 Romsey 140 130 140 140 170 220 240 240 280 260 
			 Rossendale and Darwen 110 120 150 160 190 170 280 280 310 310 
			 Rother Valley 100 100 110 130 170 180 250 290 310 300 
			 Rotherham 100 120 130 160 210 200 270 290 330 300 
			 Rugby and Kenilworth 100 120 140 200 220 270 230 330 360 380 
			 Ruislip-Northwood 110 120 130 130 150 160 190 190 240 210 
			 Runnymede and Weybridge 130 130 140 160 150 190 210 230 220 250 
			 Rushcliffe 90 90 100 120 150 180 180 190 220 240 
			 Rutland and Melton 90 120 130 150 170 160 190 220 280 260 
			 Ryedale 40 50 50 60 70 130 150 160 180 200 
			 Saffron Walden 90 110 110 110 160 220 270 250 260 280 
			 St. Albans 100 110 100 120 170 130 270 280 290 260 
			 St. Helens North 160 170 180 190 230 280 300 310 380 320 
			 St. Helens South 100 100 110 120 160 150 190 230 250 290 
			 St. Ives 160 160 170 160 180 190 220 240 310 250 
			 Salford 180 170 180 200 210 290 250 270 340 270 
			 Salisbury 90 90 80 80 100 140 170 180 200 160 
			 Scarborough and Whitby 110 120 110 120 150 190 210 250 290 300 
			 Scunthorpe 110 120 140 160 210 260 290 310 340 400 
			 Sedgefield 80 90 90 90 100 90 140 170 230 200 
			 Selby 70 80 80 110 140 200 190 230 250 300 
			 Sevenoaks 100 90 100 140 130 210 240 230 260 250 
			 Sheffield, Attercliffe 80 80 100 120 160 100 180 200 230 270 
			 Sheffield, Brightside 120 120 130 140 200 170 240 230 280 320 
			 Sheffield Central 130 140 140 160 220 150 230 240 260 270 
			 Sheffield, Hallam 60 80 90 100 120 110 150 180 200 220 
			 Sheffield, Heeley 130 160 170 180 220 200 240 200 200 280 
			 Sheffield, Hillsborough 60 80 80 100 150 60 160 170 200 230 
			 Sherwood 100 110 120 140 170 190 200 210 260 270 
			 Shipley 160 170 170 190 250 220 260 240 270 260 
			 Shrewsbury and Atcham 120 130 150 160 200 220 250 270 320 290 
			 Sittingbourne and Sheppey 150 150 180 180 210 310 370 370 410 420 
			 Skipton and Ripon 60 70 90 100 130 220 220 260 260 300 
			 Sleaford and North Hykeham 100 100 110 140 170 200 220 270 310 320 
			 Slough 180 180 210 240 280 330 400 430 510 500 
			 Solihull 130 140 140 150 170 180 210 230 270 280 
			 Somerton and Frome 100 120 120 120 140 150 180 150 180 240 
			 South Cambridgeshire 150 170 170 180 180 230 250 260 330 340 
			 South Derbyshire 90 100 110 130 170 190 230 230 280 310 
			 South Dorset 60 80 100 130 180 180 200 280 290 310 
			 South East Cambridgeshire 190 190 200 210 240 250 240 350 410 430 
			 South East Cornwall 170 190 200 210 200 170 230 270 370 330 
			 South Holland and The Deepings 100 100 120 120 170 210 220 260 320 320 
			 South Norfolk 80 90 100 110 160 200 210 230 250 310 
			 South Ribble 70 70 90 90 120 110 200 210 220 280 
			 South Shields 80 70 70 90 120 170 150 200 220 220 
			 South Staffordshire 70 80 80 80 110 120 150 140 180 210 
			 South Suffolk 80 80 100 110 140 130 210 170 180 180 
			 South Swindon 100 130 120 140 160 80 100 200 190 170 
			 South Thanet 160 190 190 200 220 370 430 430 510 480 
			 South West Bedfordshire 180 180 190 190 210 220 260 280 270 300 
			 South West Devon 50 60 70 70 180 210 250 230 260 300 
			 South West Hertfordshire 70 90 90 120 130 130 200 210 220 180 
			 South West Norfolk 100 110 120 140 210 250 260 270 350 380 
			 South West Surrey 100 110 120 130 130 160 210 210 260 260 
			 Southampton, Itchen 180 160 190 220 230 290 300 290 320 330 
			 Southampton, Test 160 140 160 180 180 230 240 250 240 240 
			 Southend West 100 120 130 140 200 240 290 270 320 310 
			 Southport 90 100 110 130 150 110 170 160 200 190 
			 Spelthorne 100 110 120 140 160 180 220 240 260 280 
			 Stafford 80 80 100 110 130 110 170 170 210 200 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands 90 100 100 120 130 120 150 180 220 190 
			 Stalybridge and Hyde 130 130 130 150 210 150 170 160 210 270 
			 Stevenage 160 160 170 190 240 220 340 330 370 400 
			 Stockport 140 140 100 130 180 200 220 230 270 250 
			 Stockton North 120 120 130 160 180 110 120 130 180 240 
			 Stockton South 90 90 100 120 160 100 150 160 190 190 
			 Stoke-on-Trent Central 160 170 160 170 200 150 180 250 280 260 
			 Stoke-on-Trent North 120 140 140 140 160 140 220 250 270 290 
			 Stoke-on-Trent South 130 160 170 180 180 160 220 250 280 280 
			 Stone 70 80 80 90 110 120 170 140 170 160 
			 Stourbridge 60 80 80 120 140 190 180 200 220 280 
			 Stratford-on-Avon 100 110 120 180 190 210 240 260 300 330 
			 Streatham 110 140 160 200 220 260 280 300 340 290 
			 Stretford and Urmston 90 90 90 110 140 110 150 170 210 210 
			 Stroud 80 80 100 100 130 140 140 130 160 150 
			 Suffolk Coastal 40 60 70 80 120 90 150 140 150 160 
			 Sunderland North 120 110 120 130 170 130 190 190 220 210 
			 Sunderland South 150 130 150 170 220 170 240 270 290 310 
			 Surrey Heath 100 120 120 130 150 200 230 230 230 250 
			 Sutton and Cheam 60 60 80 90 110 130 130 160 210 210 
			 Sutton Coldfield 150 140 110 90 140 190 210 220 260 300 
			 Tamworth 110 120 140 140 170 150 210 230 230 260 
			 Tatton 70 80 80 80 100 100 110 130 160 170 
			 Taunton 140 150 160 170 210 240 220 240 280 300 
			 Teignbridge 80 80 90 110 140 200 240 350 360 380 
			 Telford 160 160 180 200 250 260 300 330 360 400 
			 Tewkesbury 60 70 70 80 80 110 110 100 120 170 
			 The Wrekin 80 90 90 100 140 150 220 230 260 280 
			 Thurrock 130 140 160 240 280 350 440 440 460 500 
			 Tiverton and Honiton 80 100 100 110 160 220 260 300 320 330 
			 Tonbridge and Malling 150 170 170 220 220 250 280 250 300 300 
			 Tooting 110 140 120 150 150 130 170 190 220 270 
			 Torbay 70 100 120 140 160 160 180 210 190 200 
			 Torridge and West Devon 80 100 100 130 160 210 290 320 340 360 
			 Totnes 50 60 60 100 110 140 170 260 290 320 
			 Tottenham 220 230 250 270 300 400 410 500 560 560 
			 Truro and St. Austell 130 140 170 170 160 220 220 250 390 360 
			 Tunbridge Wells 90 110 100 120 150 200 240 240 270 270 
			 Twickenham 70 70 70 80 100 130 120 140 200 210 
			 Tyne Bridge 110 110 110 150 190 170 160 210 260 220 
			 Tynemouth 90 100 100 100 130 70 160 110 160 200 
			 Upminster 70 70 80 100 110 90 180 220 240 260 
			 Uxbridge 110 120 130 140 180 170 180 200 220 250 
			 Vale of York 60 70 80 90 120 170 160 190 220 250 
			 Vauxhall 120 130 140 190 200 230 260 320 310 320 
			 Wakefield 130 140 150 220 260 280 270 260 270 290 
			 Wallasey 90 100 110 120 150 200 250 260 270 330 
			 Walsall North 140 140 140 150 200 240 280 280 310 240 
			 Walsall South 150 150 150 180 230 260 310 310 360 330 
			 Walthamstow 200 210 220 250 240 280 300 340 360 300 
			 Wansbeck 110 120 130 160 200 210 260 250 280 330 
			 Wansdyke 100 100 80 90 100 70 80 80 130 190 
			 Wantage 90 100 100 110 110 120 160 200 230 220 
			 Warley 130 120 130 140 200 140 180 190 260 310 
			 Warrington North 120 130 130 140 170 220 230 240 280 350 
			 Warrington South 110 110 120 130 160 160 170 210 230 280 
			 Warwick and Leamington 100 120 150 200 220 240 290 300 310 300 
			 Watford 120 110 120 150 170 200 250 280 310 280 
			 Waveney 100 110 110 150 200 190 280 270 280 270 
			 Wealden 80 90 90 120 140 180 190 260 260 260 
			 Weaver Vale 120 130 140 130 140 170 200 230 240 260 
			 Wellingborough 120 140 160 190 240 220 230 230 310 300 
			 Wells 110 120 130 120 150 180 180 190 200 260 
			 Welwyn Hatfield 90 110 110 120 140 150 240 240 280 260 
			 Wentworth 80 80 90 120 170 210 250 300 330 300 
			 West Bromwich East 130 140 150 150 180 160 180 180 190 260 
			 West Bromwich West 140 140 150 160 200 120 160 180 290 290 
			 West Chelmsford 120 130 150 170 170 260 280 290 300 310 
			 West Derbyshire 80 100 110 120 160 190 180 200 200 220 
			 West Dorset 80 90 120 160 180 240 240 330 370 360 
			 West Ham 110 120 150 180 340 260 460 450 540 400 
			 West Lancashire 130 150 160 170 210 180 300 320 380 380 
			 West Suffolk 50 60 70 80 130 90 150 170 180 180 
			 West Worcestershire 50 60 70 90 100 120 190 210 230 210 
			 Westbury 90 90 100 80 100 140 190 210 190 200 
			 Westmorland and Lonsdale 90 100 100 110 120 160 160 180 180 200 
			 Weston-Super-Mare 120 140 130 150 160 180 210 220 260 240 
			 Wigan 100 110 110 110 160 130 190 210 230 250 
			 Wimbledon 70 80 80 90 110 100 100 150 200 190 
			 Winchester 150 150 170 150 160 240 260 260 280 290 
			 Windsor 80 80 90 90 120 130 140 180 180 190 
			 Wirral South 50 50 50 60 80 100 130 150 130 160 
			 Wirral West 90 100 110 130 180 170 190 200 230 270 
			 Witney 130 130 150 140 160 150 190 210 270 270 
			 Woking 120 130 130 140 160 200 210 220 240 200 
			 Wokingham 100 110 130 130 140 170 160 210 230 240 
			 Wolverhampton North East 140 140 150 170 210 70 140 180 180 210 
			 Wolverhampton South East 130 130 140 170 190 90 120 170 190 230 
			 Wolverhampton South West 120 120 130 120 170 80 100 140 220 290 
			 Woodspring 70 80 90 110 130 130 160 150 190 190 
			 Worcester 90 120 130 150 150 190 220 280 300 290 
			 Workington 100 90 100 110 140 170 180 190 200 220 
			 Worsley 130 150 160 160 190 190 250 260 280 300 
			 Worthing West 60 70 80 90 100 140 170 180 170 200 
			 Wycombe 120 130 140 140 170 220 210 170 260 260 
			 Wyre Forest 100 130 140 140 150 190 260 250 290 310 
			 Wythenshawe and Sale East 150 150 160 150 200 270 300 320 330 340 
			 Yeovil 130 130 120 130 160 140 180 200 210 270 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Excludes non-maintained special schools. (3) England total includes 10 unknowns where parliamentary constituency data was missing.  Source: Annual School Census

Teacher/Teaching Assistants

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will introduce a module on health and safety as part of the teacher training curriculum and as a professional development tool for teachers.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Teacher/Teaching Assistants

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) teachers and  (b) teaching assistants were employed in (i) Redbridge and (ii) Waltham Forest in (A) 2005-06 and (B) each of the preceding five years.

Jim Knight: It has not proved possible to respond in the time available before Prorogation.

Vocational Training

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that young people injured on practical vocational training within educational establishments are reported as trainees and not as members of the public; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Specified major injuries arising from work activities suffered by people who are not employees, including young people undertaking practical vocational training within educational establishments, are reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995. The Learning and Skills Council places a contractual obligation on colleges and other providers who have the primary duty of care for the health and safety of learners that this duty is fully met, as defined by the Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990. The Government have no plans to change the legal status of young people on practical vocational training within educational establishments from members of the public to trainees.

Work Placements

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department takes to ensure that  (a) schools,  (b) colleges and  (c) local authorities meet European network of training organisations standards to ensure that employers and workplaces taking young people on work placements are suitable.

Jim Knight: Work experience is our single biggest, co-ordinated engagement between employers and education. Education Business Partnerships and the Trident Trust help schools to organise work placements, including ensuring that health and safety and child protection requirements are met. We would advise schools, colleges and local authorities to think carefully about their provision if they organise work experience placements without such expert help.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many attendances at type one accident and emergency departments there were in each quarter since the quarter ended June 1997; and how many admissions to hospital from accident and emergency departments there were in each quarter over the same period.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the format requested.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guarantees were given on the future of the accident and emergency department at the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath arising from the Best Care, Best Place document and its conclusions.

Ivan Lewis: The configuration of local health services is a matter for the local national health service.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average size of catchment area was for accident and emergency departments in England in  (a) 1997,  (b) 2001,  (c) 2005 and  (d) the most recent period for which figures are available in terms of (i) geographical area and (ii) number of people.

Rosie Winterton: The data requested are not available in the format requested. Population data at hospital level or trust level are not collated centrally as national health service trusts do not have specific catchment areas.

Accident and Emergency Treatment Statistics

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) forecast and  (b) outturn figures were for admissions to the accident and emergency departments of (i) the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath, (ii) the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, (iii) the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, (iv) St Richard's Hospital, Chichester and (v) Worthing Hospital in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Information on attendances at and admissions via accident and emergency (AE) departments is collected only at trust level and no forecast data are collected.
	The table shows the number of attendances at, and admissions through, all the types of AE departments at Brighton and Sussex University hospitals national health service trust, Portsmouth hospitals NHS trust, Royal West Sussex NHS trust and Worthing and Southlands hospitals NHS Trust for the last five years.
	
		
			   Organisation  Number of admissions via AE (all types)  Total AE attendances (all types) 
			 2001-02 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 13,732 113,435 
			 2002-03 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 17,779 108,088 
			 2003-04 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 17,721 112,695 
			 2004-05 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 19,364 120,463 
			 2005-06 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 20,073 124,386 
			 
			 2001-02 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 14,811 120,248 
			 2002-03 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 23,996 120,641 
			 2003-04 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 28,098 125,227 
			 2004-05 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 28,198 129,790 
			 2005-06 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 28,901 133,503 
			 
			 2001-02 Royal West Sussex NHS Trust 7,409 45,419 
			 2002-03 Royal West Sussex NHS Trust 9,826 44,147 
			 2003-04 Royal West Sussex NHS Trust 11,103 47,948 
			 2004-05 Royal West Sussex NHS Trust 12,187 48,344 
			 2005-06 Royal West Sussex NHS Trust 13,222 48,868 
			 
			 2001-02 Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 7,809 54,298 
			 2002-03 Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 11,911 54,881 
			 2003-04 Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 12,168 56,842 
			 2004-05 Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 13,688 61,333 
			 2005-06 Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 14,124 62,026 
			  Notes:  1. Admissions were first collected in quarter two 2001-02, so data for this year are for three quarters only.  2. Admissions via all AE types were first collected in quarter one 2003-04. Data after this date are for all AE types, prior to this the figures are for admissions via major (type one) AE only.  3. Brighton University Hospitals NHS Trust was formed by the merger of Brighton Health Care NHS Trust and Mid Sussex NHS Trust at the end of 2001-02. I have provided aggregated figures for the two constituent parts of the trusts for 2001-02.   Source:  Department of Health dataset QMAE.

Abortions

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were carried out at  (a) 21,  (b) 22,  (c) 23 and  (d) 24 weeks of pregnancy in the UK in the last 12 months; and how many of those abortions (i) were carried out on the grounds of disability, (ii) cited disabilities of the palate and (iii) cited Down's Syndrome.

Caroline Flint: The available information is set out in the tables.
	
		
			  Abortions performed at 21 to 24 weeks' gestation: totals; totals performed under Section 1(1 )(d)( 1)  of the Abortion Act 1967;  and totals by selected medical conditions, residents, England  and Wales 2005 
			  Weeks gestation  Total abortions 
			 21 700 
			 22 539 
			 23 (2) 336 
			 24 38 
			 Total 21-24 1,613 
			 (1) that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped (2 )includes 24 weeks and 0 days gestation 
		
	
	
		
			  Weeks gestation  Total performed under Section 1(1 )(d)( 1)  Total with a principal medical condition of cleft lip and/or cleft palate  Total with a principal medical condition of Down's syndrome 
			 21 188 (3) 21 
			 22 145 (3) (3) 
			 23 (2) 102 (3) (3) 
			 24 38 (3) (3) 
			 Total 21-24 473 (3) 36 
			 (1) that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped (2 )includes 24 weeks and 0 days gestation (3) less than 10 (0 - 9 cases). Data suppressed for reasons of confidentiality, in line with the Office for National Statistics' guidance on the disclosure of abortion statistics (2005).

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed under the Abortion Act 1967 as amended by section 37 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 in England; how many and what percentage of such abortions were performed  (a) to save the life of the mother and  (b) where the unborn child would have been seriously handicapped; and how many and what percentage of these abortions were where the unborn child was suffering from cleft (i) palate and (ii) lip.

Caroline Flint: The number of abortions performed in England and Wales on residents of England and Wales in the 38 years, 1968 to 2005 was 5.3 million (5,289,701). Of these 23,726 (0.4 per cent.) were performed under sections l(l)(c) and 1(4) of the Abortion Act 1967. These are cases where the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, or where the termination is immediately necessary to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman. 70,200 abortions (1.3 per cent, of the total) were performed under section l(l)(d); that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.
	In the period between 1995(1) and 2005 there were 42 (0.002 per cent.) terminations where the foetus was recorded as having a primary diagnosis of cleft lip and/or cleft palate.
	(1) Information prior to 1995 is not available.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) representations she has received and  (b) studies she has evaluated on the psychological effects of abortion since January; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Due to the way we record correspondence topics, we cannot supply information on representations received on this topic without disproportionate cost.
	All relevant evidence on abortion was considered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) when it updated its evidence-based guidelines The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion in 2004. The guidelines state that professionals involved in abortion services should be equipped to provide women with the information they need, including accurate knowledge about possible complications and sequelae of abortion, in order to give genuinely informed consent. Clinicians caring for women requesting abortion should try to identify those patients who require more support in decision making than can be provided in the routine clinic setting. Facilities for additional support, including access to social services, should be available. Appropriate information and support should be available for those who consider, but do not proceed to, abortion. The guidelines also recommend that referral for further counselling should be available for the small minority of women who experience long-term post abortion distress.
	It is not practical for the RCOG to evaluate every study on abortion that is published, although it would take note of any major findings that conflicted with its published recommendations.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women aged  (a) 18 to 24 years and  (b) 25 to 30 years who had an abortion in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005 had five or more previous abortions.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of abortions where the women were recorded as having five or more previous abortions, residents, England and Wales, 2004-05 
			  Age  2004  2005 
			  (a) 18-24 years 34 26 
			  (b) 25-30 years 88 85

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department currently provides funds to any organisations which campaign against abortion; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department of Health funds voluntary organisations in England, through individual policy programmes and section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, where organisations' activities support the Department's policy priorities. The Department of Health is not funding any organisation which campaigns against abortion.

Age Discrimination

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if her Department will  (a) carry out an age audit of its staff to establish an age profile of its work force,  (b) negotiate an age management policy with trade unions and employees to eliminate age discrimination and retain older workers,  (c) identify and support training needs and offer older staff flexible working to downshift towards retirement and  (d) extend to over-fifties the right to request to work flexibly and the right to training with paid time off; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department regularly carries out an analysis of its work force data to establish its age profile. It has also negotiated with the trade unions policies for its staff that are firmly based on treating all staff fairly and without discrimination on such grounds as age, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sex, marital status, responsibility for children or other dependants, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, trade union membership or activity, religious or political beliefs. For the past two years the Department has given employees below the senior civil service the right to work until age 65 and from 1 October 2006 all staff, including the senior civil service, may work until 65 unless they choose to retire. The Department encourages all staff to take the opportunity on equal terms to upgrade their skills and knowledge, whatever their age, and monitoring arrangements are now in place to check for any age bias in the take-up of training courses. Opportunities for flexible working are also available to all staff, whatever their age.

Alcohol Addiction

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was allocated to the treatment of alcohol addiction in England in 2005-06; and how much is allocated for 2006-07.

Caroline Flint: The information is not held centrally. We do not allocate specific funding to primary care trusts (PCTs) to support alcohol treatment. PCTs fund alcohol treatment out of their mainstream allocations. PCTs are responsible for assessing the needs of their local populations and commissioning services to address those needs within the limits of the funding available to them.
	The alcohol needs assessment research report identified that 217 million was spent in 2003-04 by PCTs and local authorities to support alcohol treatment (this figure also included a limited amount of support from charitable sources).

Alcohol Addiction

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the prevalence of addiction to alcohol in England.

Caroline Flint: The alcohol needs assessment research report identified that the prevalence of alcohol dependence in England overall was 3.6 per cent. of the adult population, (6 per cent. of men and 2 per cent. of women). This equates to 1.1 million people.

Alcohol Addiction

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) beds,  (b) places and  (c) treatments are available within the NHS in England for the treatment of alcohol addiction.

Caroline Flint: The alcohol needs assessment research (ANARP) report identified that about 167,000 people were referred to alcohol treatment in 2003-04 and that 63,000 people received treatment for their alcohol problems, this was a combination of in-patient services, residential rehabilitation and community treatments such as home detoxification, day treatment places and counselling services.
	696 treatment agencies were identified. The average waiting time from referral to assessment at these agencies was 4.6 weeks and the average number of patients on waiting lists (monthly) was 15.2. ANARP indicted that 5.6 per cent. of the dependent population were accessing treatment in any year.

Alcohol Addiction

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the report on the effectiveness of treatment of alcohol addiction commissioned by the National Treatment Agency will be published; and what the reason is for the time taken in preparation.

Caroline Flint: The review of the effectiveness of treatment for alcohol problems is a report of evidence that informed the development of models of care for alcohol misuse (MoCAM). The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse has given priority to publication of MoCAM as a guidance document for treatment commissioners. MoCAM was published at the end of June 2006. The review of the effectiveness of treatment for alcohol problems will be published shortly by the National Treatment Agency.

Alcohol Treatment

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been provided for the treatment of patients referred as a result of alcohol treatment requirement orders.

Caroline Flint: There is no specific funding to implement the Alcohol Treatment Requirement (ATR), which can be made part of a community order or suspended sentence order for adult offenders. Offenders subject to ATRs will be referred to mainstream alcohol treatment usually commissioned by local primary care trusts, as part of NHS provision.

Alcohol Treatment

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has spent on alcohol-reduction measures and initiatives in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The alcohol needs assessment research project estimated that 217 million was spent in 2003-04 on alcohol treatment. The vast majority of this is provided by primary care trusts, but some also comes from local authorities and charitable funds.
	There was no major prevention campaign expenditure to promote alcohol harm reduction in the financial years 1997 to 2005, the only expenditure was for literature and website activity only, as follows.
	
		
			million 
			 2002-03 0.097 
			 2003-04 0.045 
			 2004-05 0.342 
			 2005-06 0.064 
		
	
	In 2006-07 the Department is spending 2 million on the 'Know your limits' campaign which is currently running. Additional funding is provided by the Home Office for this campaign. The Department is spending 3.2 million on the alcohol identification and brief advice trailblazers project over two years 2006-08.

Alcohol-related Problems

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged between 11 and 15 years were admitted to hospital because of alcohol-related problems in the latest year for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: Information in the table shows the number of children aged between 11 and 15 years who were admitted to hospital owing to alcohol-related problems in 2004-05.
	
		
			  Number of children aged 11 to 15 years admitted to hospital with alcohol related illness in 2004-05 
			  Age group  Age range (years)  Diagnosis code  Primary diagnosis description  Total in year admission episodes 
			 Adolescents 11-15 F10 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol 3,175 
			 Adolescents 11-15 K70 Alcoholic liver disease 2 
			 Adolescents 11-15 T51 Toxic effect of alcohol 509 
			  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics, The Information Centre for health and social care

Ambulances

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of category A calls were responded to by an ambulance within eight minutes in the most recent period for which figures are available, broken down by NHS ambulance trust.

Rosie Winterton: Validated information about ambulance serviced response times to emergency calls is collected each year by the Department on return KA34 and published annually. The latest is contained in the Department of Health Statistical Bulletin Ambulance Services, England 2005-06. A copy is available in the Library and can be viewed on the Information Centre for Health and Social Care's website at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/ambulanceserv06

Attacks on Health Workers

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many assaults there were on NHS staff in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS trust.

Rosie Winterton: The information has not been collated centrally in the form requested for the period 1997-99. A table outlining the estimated number of reported violent incidents and aggression collected by the Department for 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03 for each SHA, NHS trust and PCT in England has been placed in the Library.
	In April 2003, the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) was created and assumed responsibility for the issue of tackling violence against NHS staff. The NHS SMS has collected data on the number of physical assaults on NHS staff in England for the period 2004-05. A breakdown of figures for each NHS trust has been placed in the Library. A breakdown of figures relating to mental health trusts will be released shortly.
	The figures for each NHS trust for the period 2005-06 will be released shortly.

Attacks on Health Workers

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in reducing physical and verbal attacks on NHS staff and ambulance staff in  (a) accident and emergency units,  (b) main hospital wards,  (c) general practitioner surgeries and  (d) treatment centres.

Rosie Winterton: Since their creation in April 2003, the NHS Security Management Service (SMS), with both policy and operational responsibility for security management within the national health service, has introduced a wide range of measures to tackle the incidence of physical and non-physical assault against NHS staff.
	The NHS SMS has collected data on the number of physical assaults on NHS staff in 2004-05 and 2005-06. The figures, broken down by care sector, are provided in the table.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06 
			 Ambulance 1,333 1,104 
			 Acute 10,758 11,100 
			 Primary care trust 5,192 5,145 
			 Mental health and learning disability 43,097 41,345 
			 Special health authority 5 1 
			 Total 60,385 58,695 
		
	
	An exercise measuring the number of incidents of non-physical assault against NHS staff is planned in the future.
	A public consultation on proposed legislation to tackle nuisance and disturbance behaviour on NHS premises closed on 1 September 2006. As well as reducing the impact of this behaviour on the delivery of health care, the legislation will give health bodies the power to remove an individual displaying this behaviour before an incident escalates into violence. The majority of responses to the consultation supported the proposals. A summary of the responses has been placed in the Library.

Attacks on Health Workers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of changes in the incidence of attacks against  (a) ambulance trusts and  (b) accident and emergency staff in the last 12 months.

Andy Burnham: In April 2003, the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) was created and assumed both policy and operational responsibility for the issue of tackling violence against NHS staff.
	The NHS SMS has collected data on the number of physical assaults on national health service staff in England, broken down by trust, for the period 2004-05. It was reported that 60,385 NHS staff were physically assaulted during this period. The majority of these assaults, 43,097, were in mental health and learning disability environments.
	The figures for each trust for the period 2005-06 will be published shortly.
	Measures to tackle violence against NHS staff are under constant review. There has been a 15-fold rise in the number of criminal sanctions against those who have assaulted NHS staff, from 51 in 2002-03 to 759 in 2004-05.

Audiology Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many cochlear implant operations were performed in each NHS trust in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the extent to which NHS trusts limit the supply of cochlear implant procedures.

Ivan Lewis: A table showing the number of cochlear implant operations performed in each national health service trust has been placed in the Library. The data available are for 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05.
	It is for primary care trusts to determine the allocation of resources for their local population based on local need. NHS spend will increase on average by 7.1 per cent. a year over and above inflationa total increase over the period of 23 per cent. in real terms. Over three years this will take the total spent on the NHS in England from 70 billion in 2004-05 to almost 93 billion in 2007-08.

Autism and Childhood Cancers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the risks to  (a) babies born through IVF and  (b) other babies of developing (i) autism and (ii) childhood cancers.

Caroline Flint: The Department has made no assessment of the likelihood of a child developing autism or cancer or whether that likelihood is increased if the child is conceived using in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
	The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the regulatory body responsible for licensing the provision of IVF in the United Kingdom, considers that IVF is a fundamentally safe technique. Although there have been a number of studies looking at the links between IVF and a range of medical or genetic conditions, there is no current body of evidence to indicate that IVF is unsafe.

Bedford Hospital

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many jobs are expected to be lost at Bedford Hospital NHS Trust in 2006-07.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not available centrally.
	It is the responsibility of strategic health authorities to analyse their local situation and develop plans, in liaison with their local national health service trusts, to deliver high quality NHS services and take action as required to deliver these services.

Birth Statistics

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2006,  Official Report, column 158W, on birth statistics, how many women with a Hartlepool address gave birth at  (a) the University Hospital of Hartlepool,  (b) the University Hospital of North Tees,  (c) the James Cook University Hospital,  (d) Darlington Memorial Hospital,  (e) Bishop Auckland Hospital,  (f) City Hospitals Sunderland,  (g) another hospital and  (h) home in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not collected centrally.

Blind/Partially Sighted People

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has assessed the reasons for the change in the number of people registered as  (a) blind and  (b) partially sighted in England between 2002-03 and 2005-06; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Registration of blindness is voluntary so the register does not necessarily include all people who are blind. This, together with some uncertainty about how regularly councils update their registers, means the information is not precise. Some councils have recently introduced new computer systems for registration and the data cleansing process has a decrease in the number of new registrations.

Bone Scans

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time target is for a routine bone scan; and what the average waiting time was for a routine bone scan in each year since 2001.

Andy Burnham: Historically the Department has not kept diagnostic waiting time data. A new national data collection commenced in January 2006 and the median waiting time for a DEXA scan from the August 2006, monthly collection (published on 18 October 2006) is 5.4 weeks.

Breast Cancer

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has any plans to extend the use of ultrasound scans to detect breast cancer; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There is some evidence of the benefit of ultrasound in the primary screening of younger women at increased risk of breast cancer. However, ultrasound does produce high false positive rates and while ultrasound is accepted as a very effective technique for further assessment of abnormalities detected by mammogram there are no plans to extend the use of ultrasound scans to detect breast cancer.
	In their 'Improving outcomes in breast cancer guidance', the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has recommended that a combination of clinical examination, mammography/ultrasound and image-guided core biopsy or fine needle aspiration, known together as the triple assessment, should be available for women with suspected breast cancer at a single visit. Both mammography and ultrasound imaging should be available.

Breast Cancer

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress her Department has made in reducing waiting times for genetic tests for breast cancer in Newark constituency over the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect data centrally on waiting times for genetic tests for inherited forms of breast cancer
	However, this Government do recognise that some patients have experienced long waits for genetic tests in the past and this will have caused stress and anxiety. This is unacceptable.
	The genetics White Paper 'Our Inheritance, Our Futurerealising the potential of genetics in the NHS', published in June 2003, committed up to 18 million for NHS genetics laboratories in England. This major investment is boosting capacity and supporting modernisation in genetics laboratories, thus helping them meet the rising demand for genetic tests.
	To ensure that this investment resulted in real patient benefit, the White Paper set out new standards for genetic test turn around times, to be achieved by the end of 2006. These are:
	within three days where the result is needed urgently, for example, for prenatal diagnosis;
	within two weeks where the potential genetic mutation is already known, for example, because another family member has already been tested; and
	within eight weeks for unknown mutations in a large gene.
	This money was allocated during the last two financial years (2004-05 and 2005-06) and laboratories are working hard to get their new facilities up to speed to meet these standards.
	The Department is monitoring molecular genetics laboratories' progress through the commissioners of genetic services. On current plans the laboratories serving the population in the Newark area expect to be delivering these standards for genetic tests for breast cancer by the end of 2006.

Burnley General Hospital

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) doctors and  (b) nurses are employed in Burnley General Hospital; and how many there were in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the requested format. Data relating to the trusts which Burnley General Hospital has been part of are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  National health service hospital and community health services (HCHS): Medical and dental staff and qualified nursing staff by specified organisationas at 30 September each specified year 
			  Number (headcount) 
			   1997  2001  2005 
			  Qualified nursing staff
			 Total specified organisations 2,642 2,619 3,656 
			 Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care 1,260 1,206 n/a 
			 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust 1,382 1,413 n/a 
			 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust n/a n/a 2,258 
			 Lancashire Care NHS Trust n/a n/a 1,398 
			 
			  Medical and dental staff
			 Total for specified organisations 464 521 752 
			 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust 239 252 n/a 
			 Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care 225 269 n/a 
			 Lancashire Care NHS Trust n/a n/a 138 
			 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust n/a n/a 614 
			 n/a = not applicable  Notes: Relevant Mergers History: 1. Mental Health services from Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust (RMB) and Burnley Healthcare, NHS Trust (REU), along with staff from Blackpool, Wyre and Fyde Community Health NHS trust (mental health services), Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust (mental health services), Communicare NHS Trust (psychology and drugs services), Guild Community Healthcare NHS Trust, and North Sefton and West Lancashire Community NHS Trust, merged to form Lancashire Care NHS Trust (RW5) in 2002.  2. In 2003-04 the remainder of Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust (RMB) and Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust (REU) merged to for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (RXR).  Sources: 1. The Information Centre for health and social care, medical and dental workforce census 2. The Information Centre for health and social care, non-medical workforce census

Cancer and Mental Health Services

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent per capita in each primary care trust on  (a) cancer services and  (b) mental health services in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Estimates of primary care trust expenditure on cancer and tumours and mental health are provided by the programme budgeting returns. At present, data are only available for the financial years 2003-04 and 2004-05, as per the old primary care trust boundaries.
	Details of the net spend for each primary care trust in 2003-04 and 2004-05 on cancer and tumours and mental health, in terms of expenditure per 100,000 unified weighted population have been placed in the Library.
	Further analysis is available at the website address:
	www.dh.gov.uk/programmebudgeting

Cervical Cancer

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of unreadable cervical smear tests since the implementation of liquid based cytology for cervical cancer screening.

Rosie Winterton: Following the evaluation of a Government funded pilot study of Liquid Based Cytology (LBC), the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) concluded in October 2003 that this new technology should be rolled out across the national health service (NHS). NICE concluded LBC will reduce the number of inadequate tests, meaning around 300,000 women a year will not have to go through the anxiety of being re-tested every year just because their slide could not be read.
	It will take five years to implement LBC across England as all staff who read the tests or take the samples from women will have to be retrained. As at September 2006, of the 142 laboratories that process cervical screening samples 67 have fully implemented LBC and 35 are intending to implement LBC by March 2007.
	The latest year for which statistics on the programme are available is 2004-05, which was at the start of the roll-out of LBC implementation. We have therefore yet to see a major reduction in the number of inadequate tests across the whole programme. However, we have seen a significant reduction in the pilot sites, which is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Pilot site  Inadequate test results 2000-01  Inadequate test results 2004-05 
			 Southmead Hospital (Bristol) 9.7 0.9 
			 Royal Victoria Infirmary (Newcastle) 9.1 0.4 
			 Norfolk and Norwich 7.5 1.5 
		
	
	We would expect to start seeing an effect of LBC on the rate of inadequate samples across the whole programme when the statistics for 2005-06 are published in December 2006.

Chaplaincy Services

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the compatibility of the actions being taken by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust in relation to chaplaincy services with the guidelines in NHS Chaplaincy: meeting the religious and spiritual needs of patients, published in November 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department remains committed to the guidance NHS Chaplaincy: Meeting the Religious and Spiritual Needs of Patients and Staff issued to national health service trusts in November 2003 about patients' access to spiritual care, irrespective of their faith or beliefs.
	NHS trusts are responsible for delivering religious and spiritual care in a way that meets the diverse needs of their patients. How they do so is a matter for local determination, particularly as these arrangements vary considerably now. It is not for Ministers to intervene in these matters.

Cheese

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ask the Food Standards Agency to review its decision to classify cheese as a food with a high fat, sugar or salt content.

Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency has developed a number of tools which can be used to help consumers assess the relative nutritional profiles of foods, and which could result in some cheeses being described as high in fat or salt.
	The FSA has made a commitment to review its front of pack signpost labelling approach in 2008, this will include review of the criteria for assessing the levels of nutrients. The agency has also made a commitment to review the impact of nutrient profiling in relation to broadcast controls, if used, within one year.

Choice Survey

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost reclaimed by each acute trust in England in respect of her Department's choice survey was in each month since April 2006.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Chorley and South Ribble General Hospital

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) doctors and  (b) nurses are employed in Chorley and South Ribble General Hospital; and how many there were in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the requested format. Data relating to the national health service organisations which Chorley and South Ribble General Hospital has been part of are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: Medical and dental staff and qualified nursing staff by specified organisation as at  30 September each specified year 
			  Number (headcount) 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005 
			  Medical and dental staff 
			 Total specified organisations 631 616 726 735 
			 Chorley and South Ribble PCT 6 6 5 15 
			 Lancashire Care NHS Trust 114 102 150 138 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 511 508 571 582 
			  
			  Qualified nursing staff 
			 Total specified organisations 3,185 3,282 3,605 3,687 
			 Chorley and South Ribble PCT 268 333 358 339 
			 Lancashire Care NHS Trust 1,002 1,021 1,392 1,398 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 1,915 1,928 1,855 1,950 
			  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care medical and dental workforce census; the information centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census

Community Matrons

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community matrons are in post, broken down by region; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The number of community matrons was recorded in the non-medical workforce census for the first time at 30 September 2005 but based on the Department's monitoring the figures may well understate the true picture. The 2006 census data will be available in the new year.
	We are committed to increasing the number of community matrons and local development plans strongly suggest this is happening.
	
		
			  Strategic health authority  Headcount 
			 England 267 
			 North East 27 
			 North West 36 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 32 
			 East Midlands 43 
			 West Midlands 29 
			 East of England 15 
			 London 5 
			 South East 37 
			 South Central 10 
			 South West 33 
			  Note: The Information Centre for health and social care, non-medical workforce census

Community Pharmacies

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how her Department plans to monitor the performance of the contractual framework for community pharmacies in maintaining pharmacists' dispensing margins.

Andy Burnham: The Department conducts periodic assessments of the margins earned by pharmacists. This is done by means of a sample survey of pharmacy invoices to compare prices paid with reimbursement prices. Two such surveys have been conducted to date, one in October 2005, and one in February 2006.

Community Pharmacies

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions officials in her Department have had with pharmacists on the  (a) contractual framework for community pharmacies and  (b) purchase of NHS medicines.

Andy Burnham: Negotiations on the contractual framework are undertaken with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), which represents the interests of community pharmacies. The contractual framework was put to ballot in November 2004 and accepted by an overwhelming majority.
	Where potential changes to policies regarding the purchase of NHS medicines have implications for pharmacies, these are also discussed with the PSNC.

Databases (Security Breaches)

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many confirmed security breaches of databases controlled by her Department occurred in each of the last five years; whether the breach resulted from internal or external sources in each case; how many records were compromised on each occasion; and what estimate was made of the total number of records accessible to the individuals concerned.

Ivan Lewis: There have been no confirmed cases of security breaches of any databases controlled by the Department in the last five years.

Dental Appointments

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of recent trends in the number of patients failing to attend dental appointments; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Information on numbers of missed national health service dental appointments is not collected centrally. The Department has received no evidence to indicate there has been a widespread increase in the number of missed appointments.
	NHS primary care contracting has publicised a variety of ways in which dental practices can apply good practice in managing appointments so as to minimise the number of patients failing to attend without recourse to cancellation fees.

Dental Budgets

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the gross dental budget is in each primary care trust in 2006-07; how much has been budgeted for in charges in each trust; what the expected outturn against budget is; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: A table listing the primary dental service resource allocations for 2006-07 for all primary care trusts (PCTs) in England as at 31 July 2006 is available in the Library. This sets out gross budgets for each PCT, the level of patient charge income that it was reasonable to expect for the level of gross expenditure for each PCT, and the net allocations awarded to PCTs. The actual level of charge income will depend on a range of variables including the service levels, ie the annual units of dental activity, agreed for each local contract with dentists and the relative proportions of chargeable and non-chargeable treatments carried out during the year. The in-year management and monitoring of those allocations is the responsibility of the individual PCTs.

Dentistry

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dental surgeries there are in the Stockport primary care trust area; and how many of these are not accepting new NHS patients.

Caroline Flint: Of the 59 dental practices in the Stockport primary care trust (PCT), 53 signed the new national health service dental contract. Seven of these 53 are currently accepting NHS patients.
	The PCT is using funds associated with six practices who rejected the new contract to commission additional services from other dentists.

Dentistry

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists on NHS contracts have been registered in Derbyshire in each year since 2003.

Rosie Winterton: The number of national health service dentists in the specified Derbyshire primary care trusts as at 31 March 2003-06 and 30 June 2006 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   March 2003  March 2004  March 2005  March 2006  June 2006( 1) 
			 Amber Valley PCT 41 40 45 46 46 
			 Central Derby PCT 46 41 44 50 53 
			 Chesterfield PCT 60 59 59 61 63 
			 Derbyshire Dales and South Derbyshire PCT 40 39 44 45 38 
			 Erewash PCT 37 44 44 47 75 
			 Greater Derby PCT 63 62 67 71 50 
			 High Peak and Dales PCT 51 50 53 58 53 
			 North Eastern Derbyshire PCT 49 51 54 50 46 
			 (1) The new NHS dental contract arrangements were introduced on 1 April 2006. Work force numbers under the new contractual arrangements are not comparable with numbers under the old contract as the numbers of dentists are now counted differently based on a contract between the provider and the PCT.  Notes: 1.Under the new contract, the numbers of dentists provided are performers and are defined as a dentist who has been set up on the dental practice division (DPD) payments online (POL) system by the PCT to work under an open contract as at 30 June 2006. The number provided is a count of individuals listed as performers on open contracts. 2. Under the new contract arrangements PCTs agree with providers a specified annual level of NHS dental treatment (UDAs). The provider is committed under the contract to providing this level of servicehe or she may do this personally or through other dentists he or she employs (they must however be listed within the PCT contract as potential performers of NHS services). 3. Most NHS dentists do some private work. Figures provided do not take into account the proportion of NHS work undertaken by dentists. 4. A dentist may have an open contract with more than one PCT, in which case they will appear in figures for each PCT with which they hold an open contract. 5. Figures for the numbers of dentists at specified dates may vary depending on the date the figures are compiled. This is because the NHS BSA may be notified of joiners or leavers to or from the general dental services or personal dental services up to several months, or more, after the move has taken place. Information is up to date as at 16 October 2006. 6. Hospital and community dental services or services provided privately have been excluded from the numbers. 7. Further information is available in reports published by The Information Centre for health and social care: Information on the new contract (quarter 1, June 2006) is available at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstatsq2o6. Historical information (old contract) is available at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity.  Sources: 1. The Information Centre for health and social care 2. NHS Business Services Authority (BSA)

Dentistry

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of  (a) adults and  (b) children in the Peterborough Primary Care Trust area had access to an NHS dentist in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The latest information available is at 31 March 2006 under the old contractual arrangements.
	The proportion of adult and child NHS registrations in specific primary care trusts as at 31 March 1997-2006 are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  General Dental Services (GDS) and Personal Dental Services (PDS) 
			  Percentage 
			   North Peterborough PCT  South Peterborough PCT 
			  2001   
			 Adults 59 34 
			 Children 63 58 
			 All 60 40 
			
			  2002   
			 Adults 63 33 
			 Children 66 56 
			 All 64 39 
			
			  2003   
			 Adults 64 28 
			 Children 71 54 
			 All 66 34 
			
			  2004   
			 Adults 72 27 
			 Children 74 47 
			 All 73 32 
			
			  2005   
			 Adults 59 31 
			 Children 74 54 
			 All 63 37 
			
			  2006   
			 Adults 73 25 
			 Children 79 50 
			 All 74 31 
			  Notes: 1. The postcode of the dental practice was used to allocate dentists to specific geographic areas. PCT and SHA areas have been defined using the Office for National Statistics All Fields Postcode Directory. 2. Dentists consist of principals, assistant and trainees. Information on NHS dentistry in the community dental service, in hospitals and in prisons are excluded. 3. The data in this report are based on NHS dentists on PCT lists. These details were passed on to the BSA who paid dentists based on activity undertaken. A dentist can provide as little or as much NHS treatment as he or she chooses or has agreed with the PCT. In some cases an NHS dentist may appear on a PCT list but not perform any NHS work in that period. Most NHS dentists do some private work. The data do not take into account the proportion of NHS work undertaken by dentists. 4. Population estimates are not available at PCT and SHA level prior to 2001. 5. PDS schemes had varying registration periods. To ensure comparability with corresponding GDS data, PDS registrations are estimated using proxy registrations, namely the number of patients seen by PDS practices in the previous 15 months. PDS proxy registrations were not estimated for periods before September 2003actual registrations were used before this date. 6. Data for 2003 and earlier do not include those PDS schemes that do not have any registrations (eg dental access centres), and are therefore not directly comparable with later data. 7. 2005 and 2006 data have been estimated using Office for National Statistics 2004 mid-year population estimates based on the 2001 census as these are the latest available. 8. The boundaries used are as at 31 March 2006.  Sources: 1. The Information Centre for health and social care 2. NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) 3. Office for National Statistics

Dentistry

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dental practices are operating in Derbyshire.

Rosie Winterton: The figures for the number of new NHS dentist contracts originally signed in April 2006, contracts originally rejected in April 2006 and their corresponding units of dental activity (UDA) are shown in the following table. A contract may be either for a practice, or for an individual dentist.
	
		
			   Contracts originally signed in April  Contracts originally rejected in April 
			   Number  Approximate UDA value  Number  Approximate UDA value 
			 Amber Valley Primary Care Trust (PCT) 13 162,857 1 4,308 
			 Central Derby PCT 13 194,198 1 278 
			 Chesterfield PCT 16 211,101 2 19,548 
			 Derbyshire Dales and South Derbyshire PCT 15 117,176   
			 Erewash PCT 11 217,379   
			 Greater Derby PCT 20 183,394 2 23,347 
			 High Peak and Dales PCT 17 170,217 2 2,371 
			 North Eastern Derbyshire PCT 14 133,182 1 4 
			 Total 119 1,389,504 9 49,856

Dentistry

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of children in Colchester constituency are registered with an NHS dentist.

Rosie Winterton: Under the new system, launched in April 2006, the concept of registration no longer forms part of the remuneration arrangements. The Department will still be monitoring the number of patients covered by national health service primary dental services. Information will be available in due course on the numbers of patients who receive care or treatment from NHS primary care dentists on one or more occasions within the most recent 24-month period. We expect the first information from this new system to be available later in the year.
	The last information available under the old system is at PCT level at 31 March 2006. The proportion of the population registered with an NHS dentist is not available at constituency level.
	As at 31 March 2006 in Colchester Primary Care Trust 25,942 children were registered with an NHS dentist. This represents 75 percent of the PCT child population.
	 Notes:
	1. The postcode of the Dental Practice was used to allocate dentists to specific geographic areas. PCT areas have been defined using the Office for National Statistics All Fields Postcode Directory.
	2. The data in this report are based on NHS dentists on PCT lists. These details were passed on to the BSA who paid dentists based on activity undertaken. A dentist can provide as little or as much NHS treatment as he or she chooses or has agreed with the PCT. Most NHS dentists do some private work.
	3. PDS schemes had varying registration periods. To ensure comparability with corresponding GDS data, PDS registrations are estimated using proxy registrations, namely the number of patients seen by PDS practices in the previous 15 months.
	4. 2005 and 2006 data have been estimated using Office for National Statistics 2004 mid-year population estimates based on the 2001 Census as these are the latest available.
	5. The boundaries used are as at 31 March 2006.
	 Sources:
	The Information Centre for health and social care
	NHS Business Services Authority (BSA)
	Office for National Statistics

Departmental Childcare Facilities

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of her Department's premises have childcare facilities on site.

Ivan Lewis: The Department provides childcare facilities in both London and Leeds offices. There is a shared arrangement with the Department for Work and Pensions in Quarry House, Leeds where nursery places and a playscheme are available. In addition, in Skipton House in London the Department offers playscheme places during the school holidays for children of primary school age. Also the Department offers childcare vouchers, as part of a salary sacrifice scheme. The vouchers can be used for any registered and/or approved childcare provider. This includes registered childminders; nurseries and playschemes.

Departmental Contracts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total value was of contracts that her Department has held with  (a) ER consultants and  (b) Praesta in each of the last three years; and which Ministers have made use of their services.

Ivan Lewis: The Department paid ER Consultants 22,530.74 in September this year and nothing in 2004-05 or 2005-06. Praesta was paid a total of 45,237.50 during 2005-06 and nothing in 2004-05 or so far in 2006-07. The payments were made as part of the Department's human resources and development programme for senior civil servants.
	No Ministers have made use of these services.

Departmental Dress Code

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her Department's policy is on the display of religious (i) artefacts, (ii) symbols and (iii) dress by its staff; how many staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this policy in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has no rules prohibiting religious artefacts, symbols or dress and is unaware that any staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings for wearing such items.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of information technology projects undertaken by or for her Department since 2001 have been delivered  (a) over budget,  (b) after their original deadline,  (c) on budget,  (d) under budget,  (e) on their original deadline and  (f) ahead of their original deadline.

Caroline Flint: The number and percentage of information technology projects undertaken by or for the Department since 2001 is listed in the table:
	
		
			   Number  Percentage 
			  (a) over budget 13 22 
			  (b) after original deadline 38 64 
			  (c) on budget 9 15 
			  (d) under budget 37 63 
			  (e) on original deadline 18 31 
			  (f) ahead of original deadline 3 5 
			 Total 59  
			  Note: Data has only been provided for projects whose costs are greater than 100,000.

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) information technology projects generally and  (b) web-facing projects her Department has undertaken in each year since 2001.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is in the table.
	
		
			   Information technology projects  Web-facing projects 
			 2001 10 4 
			 2002 11 3 
			 2003 4 4 
			 2004 3 6 
			 2005 6 8 
			 2006 1 3

Departmental IT

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has spent on  (a) information technology projects generally and  (b) web-facing projects in each year since 2001, broken down by (i) expenditure on consultants and (ii) other costs.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is listed in the table by spend on information technology projects generally and web-facing projects in each year since 2001. It has not been possible to provide a breakdown of consultancy costs for these projects.
	
		
			  000 
			   Spend on information technology projects  Spend on web-facing projects  Total 
			 2001 6,322 848 7,170 
			 2002 24,536 556 25,092 
			 2003 1,066 5,691 6,757 
			 2004 13,081 9,452 22,533 
			 2005 3,240 7,461 10,701 
			 2006 297 828 1,125

Departmental IT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of her Department's databases are  (a) wholly and  (b) partly operated by external organisations or individuals; and which organisations and individuals own those databases.

Caroline Flint: The Department does not hold this information centrally and to obtain it would involve disproportionate cost.

Departmental IT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which databases operated by her Department are located  (a) wholly and  (b) partly outside the UK; and where each of those databases and parts of databases is located.

Caroline Flint: Records for all the Department's databases are not held centrally. For those that are known none are located wholly or partly outside of the UK.

Depression

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial resources have been used to promote non-drug intervention for depression to  (a) GP surgeries and  (b) relevant patient groups.

Rosie Winterton: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published clinical guidance for the management of depression in primary and secondary care in 2004. The guidance draws on the best current available evidence for the treatment and management of depression and covers both psychological and drug treatments. Health professionals are expected to take NICE guidance fully into account when exercising their clinical judgement. Different versions of the guidance have been distributed to medical and nursing directors, general practitioners and patient advocacy groups in England and Wales.

Depression

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of  (a) the Beating the Blues programme and  (b) other non-drug intervention for depression.

Rosie Winterton: We are supporting the increased availability of evidence based psychological therapies through our programme Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, which began in May, and this policy was set out in our 2005 manifesto and in the Our Health, Our Care, Our Say White Paper.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance on computerised cognitive behavioural therapies (CCBT) on 22 February 2006, building on its previous guidance on the management and treatment of depression. In reappraising CCBT, NICE has recommended Beating the Blues as an option for the treatment of mild and moderate depression and FearFighter as an option for the treatment of panic and phobia. We are committed to empowering people to take charge of their own treatment and we consider CCBT as an effective vehicle towards this aim.
	Clinical guidelines on the management of depression in primary and secondary care were also issued by NICE, in 2004. The guidelines include recommendations for effective drug and psychological treatments for people with mild to moderate depression, anxiety or schizophrenia, and which health care professionals are expected to take fully into account when making decisions about treatment.

Diabetes

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with diabetes were offered retinal screening in Shropshire County Primary Care Trust in the last year for which figures are available; and what proportion of people with diabetes in the area this represented.

Rosie Winterton: 9,183 people were offered retinopathy screening in Shropshire County Primary Care Trust in the last 12 months to June 2006. This represents a proportion of 83.4 per cent. of people with diabetes.

Disabled Staff

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many disabled people were hired by her Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what percentage of the overall work force these figures represented in each year; and how many disabled people left their employment in her Department over the same period.

Ivan Lewis: Data on the disabled status of Department entrants and leavers are available for 2004-05, 2003-04 and 2002-03 only.
	Data in the table are rounded (to the nearest 10) and excluded (where numbers are less than 5).
	It should be remembered that disability status is self-declared and voluntary.
	
		
			   Entrants who declared themselves as disabled  All entrants  Staff in post  Disabled entrants as a percentage of all entrants  Disabled entrants as percentage of staff in post 
			  Joiners  
			 2002-03 10 450 4,620 2.2 0.2 
			 2003-04 0 330 4,280 0.0 0.0 
			 2004-05  260 3,600   
			   
			  Leavers  
			 2002-03 20 920 4,620   
			 2003-04 30 680 4,280   
			 2004-05 0 880 3,600   
		
	
	Figures have been taken from the civil service website at:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/reports/index.asp.
	It is not possible to produce a consistent series from earlier years' data without incurring disproportionate costs.

Food Safety

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of systems of inspections of food establishments in other countries.

Caroline Flint: It is the responsibility of each country's national authorities to ensure that food establishments are monitored for compliance with food safety rules. The Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission has the task of ensuring that European Union legislation on food safety is properly implemented and enforced. It carries out inspections in EU and other countries in fulfilling this role.

Food Safety

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will encourage local authorities in England to post the results of inspections of food establishments on the internet.

Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency supports increased transparency in food hygiene standards by publishing business scores on a website and the display of scores on premises.
	The agency is currently launching with local authorities a number of pilots of such scores on the doors schemes. The aim of these trials is to help provide an evidence base to inform an agency recommendation for one preferred scheme nationwide.
	Although the pilots will continue for up to two years, if it is clear that a particular approach is outperforming others a recommendation will be made sooner.

General Medical Services Contract

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for introducing changes following the decision to include oral evidence from stakeholders to the expert review group based at the University of Birmingham in the Quality and Outcomes Framework of the General Medical Services Contract.

Caroline Flint: NHS Employers and the General Practitioners Committee (GPC) of the British Medial Association (BMA) announced on 24 August the process for the ongoing development of the Quality and Outcomes Framework.
	Building on their role in the previous review, Birmingham University, in collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Society of Academic Primary Care, has been appointed on a three-year contract (May 2006 to May 2009) to inform the development of the QOF.
	The expert panel will continue their work of reviewing the evidence base for current indicators. They will also consider on a continuing basis new evidence-based elements for possible future inclusion in the framework. Future development will depend on the strength of the evidence base and best practice, and the resources available to deliver it.
	The work of the expert panel informs the continuing review and development of the QOF in negotiations with the BMA's General Practitioners Committee.

Generic Medicines

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with members of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee on her Department's consultation on the reimbursement of branded generic medicines in 2005; and what contact her officials have had with that body;
	(2)  whether her Department has had discussions with  (a) pharmacists and  (b) affiliated groups on her Department's consultation on branded generic medicines in 2005; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  when she expects to publish the results of her Department's consultation on the sale of branded generic medicines.

Andy Burnham: In January and September 2005, the Department issued two consultation letters seeking views on its proposals for standard branded generics. The consultations were sent to all potentially concerned parties including the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), who provided a full and detailed response both by letter and during a number of subsequent meetings with the Department.
	In addition to the PSNC response, the Department also received six replies from independent pharmacy contractors and seven from affiliated groups.
	The responses raised complex issues which will be further reviewed in light of the outcome of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) review on the PPRS which is due in the first quarter of 2007.

Generic Medicines

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice her Department offers to primary care trusts on the purchase of  (a) generic and  (b) branded generic drugs.

Andy Burnham: The Department offers no advice to primary care trusts on this matter.

Generic Medicines

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department plans to offer primary care trusts advice on controlling their drugs budgets.

Andy Burnham: We have no plans to issue such advice. The NHS Business Services Authority, the Information Centre for health and social care and the NHS Institute provide primary care trusts with a range of information and analytical tools to aid the management of drugs budgets.

General Practitioners

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) new and  (b) remodelled GP surgeries opened in each of the last 20 years.

Caroline Flint: Data on numbers of new or remodelled general practitioner (GP) surgeries were not collected 20 years ago. However, since 1997 there has been a 60 per cent. increase in investment in GP premises. Part of this was through NHS Plan targets to refurbish or replace by December 2004 3,000 GP premises and in addition create 500 primary care centres providing services appropriate to meet local need. These targets were achieved through the replacement or refurbishment of 2,848 GP premises and 510 primary care centres. We expect to see an additional 125 of these primary care centres built by the end of this year and in 2008 the total will stand at 750.
	In addition, there are many examples of new premises provided under the national health service local improvement finance trust initiative (NHS LIFT) that fully satisfy the minimum standards. The LIFT programme has contributed to this progress and has proven to be a tremendous success. Already some 951 million private, and 210 million public, sector investment has been injected into GP premises and community facilities across the country. There are 42 NHS LIFT areas established with another seven in procurement.
	This has, to date, delivered 97 new buildings open to patients with, on average, a building a week opening during 2006 and 2007.

General Practitioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the 48 hour access targets for general practitioners on the availability of pre-booked routine appointments; what plans she has to revise those targets; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The target has contributed to improvements in access and most people can now see a general practitioner quickly when they think they need to do so. The Healthcare Commission's most recent annual report, published on 30 October 2006, confirms this, noting that in 2005-06 there was a significant increase in the number of patients reporting successful fast access.
	At the same time, however, there is also evidence that some practices have responded to the target by restricting the opportunities for patients to book appointments in advance. This approach does not deliver the responsive service which people can reasonably expect in the 21(st) century. We are addressing this and want primary care trusts and practices to offer patients improved access beyond the specific focus of the NHS Plan target.
	Accordingly, after negotiation between NHS Employers and the British Medical Association's General Practitioners Committee, the general practice contract framework for 2006-07 has been amended to include incentives for practices to offer patients the opportunity to book ahead as well as the opportunity for fast access. Practices will be rewarded on the basis of what their patients say in response to a new patient experience survey which will be undertaken early in 2007.

General Practitioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner practices in  (a) England and  (b) each strategic health authority have premises below her Department's specified minimum standard; and what her Department defines as a minimum standard for practice premises.

Rosie Winterton: Primary care trusts and predecessor organisations have responsibility for managing delivery of services provided by general practitioners (GPs); including the adequacy of their practice premises from which to provide services.
	Since 1997, there has been a 60 per cent. increase in investment in GP premises. Part of this was through the NHS Plan targets to refurbish or replace 3,000 GP premises and create 500 primary care centres housing services appropriate to meet the local need by December 2004. These targets were achieved through the replacement or refurbishment of 2,848 GP premises and 510 primary care centres. We expect to see an additional 125 of these primary care centres built by the end of this year and in 2008 the total will stand at 750.
	In addition, there are many examples of new premises provided under the NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust initiative (NHS LIFT) that fully satisfy minimum standards. The LIFT programme has contributed to this progress and has proven to be a tremendous success. Already some 951 million private, and 210 million public, sector investment has been injected into GP premises and community facilities across the country. There are 42 NHS LIFT areas established with another seven in procurement.
	This has, to date, delivered 97 new buildings open to patients with, on average, a building a week opening during 2006 and 2007.
	A snapshot by PCTs at 31 March 2005 suggested there might be over 1,300 standards they judged subjectively to be unacceptable as a minimum but this may have led to some PCTs reporting higher levels of premises that do not meet minimum standards than other PCTs with similar premises. Being below minimum standards does not mean the buildings are in a dangerous state of repair; rather, that the premises may not have for example, adequate access to and within premises and WC facilities for disabled patients and staff. Failure to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act requirements is a common reason for PCTs judging buildings as not meeting minimum requirements.
	This is not because of a lack of intent by GPs' practices and their PCTs to provide these facilities but because for example, the building is too small to incorporate them, with a general lack of suitable, alternative locations to develop. These are historic problems for inner-city PCTs that predate this Government that arose from investment in smaller buildings. Modernisation of GP premises on this scale inevitably takes time to achieve but the good progress made will continue.

General Practitioners

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners per 100,000 of the population there were in  (a) each region,  (b) each strategic health authority and  (c) each primary care trust in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of general practitioners per 100,000 population in each region and strategic health authority since 1997, and in each primary care trust since 2001 has been placed in the Library.

Health Act 2006

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects each section of the Health Act 2006 to come into force; and what representations she has received on that Act.

Caroline Flint: Section 83 of the Health Act 2006 makes provision for the making of commencement orders to bring the various parts of the Act into effect. Apart from the sections and schedules referred to within subsection (1) of Section 83, which came into force on the day the Act received Royal Assent, all other provisions can be brought into force on such a day as the Secretary of State and, where applicable, the National Assembly for Wales, Scottish Ministers and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety may by order appoint.
	Statutory Instrument 2006 No. 2603 (C.88) (The Health Act 2006 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2006) sets out those provisions which have so far been commenced and provides their coming into force date. Other sections of the Act will come into effect when the Secretary of State so determines.
	A variety of representations have been received on the Act.

Health Care (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on health care per capita in Chorley in  (a) 1997-98 and  (b) 2004-05.

Andy Burnham: The information is not available in the requested format. Total expenditure per head by organisations within the former Cumbria and Lancashire strategic health authority (SHA) area in 1997-08 and 2004-05 was as follows:
	
		
			
			 1997-08 614.10 
			 2004-05 1,260.32 
			  Notes: 1. Expenditure by strategic health authority area is taken as the total expenditure of the SHA, predecessor health authorities and primary care trusts within the SHA area. 2. Expenditure on general dental services and pharmaceutical services accounted for by the Dental Practice Board and Prescription Pricing Authority, respectively, is excluded. This expenditure cannot be included within the figures for the individual health bodies as they are not included in commissioner accounts.  Sources: Audited accounts of relevant health authorities 1997-98  Audited summarisation forms of Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 2004-05  Audited summarisation schedules of relevant primary care trusts 2004-05  Office for National Statistics unweighted population figures

Health Service Funding

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding her Department allocated per head of population in each primary care trust in  (a) the area covered by the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority and  (b) England in each year since 2003-04.

Caroline Flint: The table shows the allocation per head of population for primary care trusts (PCTs) in South East Coast Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and the national average allocation per head for all PCTs in England for each year since 2003-04.
	The table is on the basis of the 303 PCTs to which the allocations were made. The number of PCTs reduced from 303 to 152 on 1 October 2006.
	
		
			  PCT allocations per head in South East Coast SHA () 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Adur, Arun and Worthing 1,003 1,090 1,293 1,389 1,491 
			 Ashford 820 883 1,055 1,133 1,237 
			 Bexhill and Rother 1,074 1,161 1,346 1,445 1,552 
			 Brighton and Hove City 959 1,044 1,234 1,336 1,449 
			 Canterbury and Coastal 899 967 1,140 1,222 1,322 
			 Crawley 800 877 1,041 1,137 1,245 
			 Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley 874 950 1,109 1,206 1,316 
			 East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey 848 919 1,108 1,191 1,280 
			 East Kent Coastal 1,015 1,107 1,301 1,412 1,541 
			 East Surrey 866 940 1,120 1,205 1,297 
			 Eastbourne Downs 1,059 1,142 1,338 1,432 1,534 
			 Guildford and Waverley 828 899 1,067 1,149 1,238 
			 Hastings and St. Leonards 1,032 1,127 1,343 1,458 1,587 
			 Horsham and Chanctonbury 760 806 925 1,002 1,094 
			 Maidstone Weald 767 835 1,016 1,101 1,201 
			 Medway 785 857 1,018 1,126 1,254 
			 Mid-Sussex 783 852 1,049 1,132 1,222 
			 North Surrey 861 935 1,112 1,198 1,290 
			 Shepway 976 1,057 1,236 1,333 1,453 
			 South West Kent 787 855 1,017 1,099 1,194 
			 Surrey Heath and Woking 801 871 1,022 1,102 1,187 
			 Sussex Downs and Weald 811 879 1,049 1,137 1,240 
			 Swale 821 893 1,038 1,185 1,338 
			 Western Sussex 959 1,047 1,264 1,356 1,454 
			 South East Coast PCTs average 878 954 1,131 1,224 1,329 
			 England PCTs average 903 986 1,172 1,274 1,388

Health Trust Staff

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) non-voluntary redundancies,  (b) voluntary redundancies and  (c) vacant posts remaining unfilled in each of the last six months in Mid Essex Hospital Trust have been notified to her Department; and what projections of figures in each case up to 31 December 2006 the trust has notified her Department.

Rosie Winterton: The information collected from Strategic Health Authorities on the number of compulsory and voluntary redundancies broken down by trust in the six months to 30 September 2006 is being placed in the Library (PQ 15197).
	Information on the number of vacant posts remaining unfilled in each of the last six months and the requested information on projections is not collected centrally.

Health Visitors

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health visitors have been working in the Aylesbury Vale area in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			  National health service hospital and community health services: qualified health visitors in each specified organisation as at 30 September each specified year. 
			  Headcount 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Total specified organisations 86 72 89 75 64 
			 Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 2 0 0 
			 Vale of Aylesbury PCT 86 72 87 75 64 
			  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census 
		
	
	In October 2006, Chiltern and South Buckinghamshire, Vale of Aylesbury and Wycombe Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) merged to form Buckinghamshire PCT. In the Buckinghamshire PCT area, numbers of PCT-based practice nurses have increased from 198 in 2001 to 216 in 2005.
	I understand that the new re-redesigned health visitor service is now made up of a skill mix of health visitors and nursery nurses. In terms of the increase in community nursing component, there has been a target for the trust to recruit 17 community matrons by March 2007. These nurses work with patients with long-term conditions.
	It is the responsibility of PCTs and strategic health authorities to analyse their local situation and develop plans, in liaison with their local national health service trusts and primary care providers, to deliver high quality NHS services using the most appropriate skill mix of different types of primary care and community care nurses.

Health Visitors

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health visitors worked in the Tees Valley in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			  National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Services: Heath Visiting Staff in the County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority (SHA) Area( 1 ) as at 30 September Each Specified Year 
			  Headcount 
			2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			  County Durham and Tees Valley  298 293 333 360 340 
			 County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust RXP 0 0 3 2 2 
			 Darlington Primary Care Trust (PCT) 5J9 0 22 28 29 25 
			 Derwentside PCT 5KA 0 13 18 17 21 
			 Durham and Chester-le-Street PCT 5KC 0 31 34 39 31 
			 Durham Dales PCT 5J8 0 15 21 26 20 
			 Easington PCT 5KD 0 31 39 49 41 
			 Hartlepool PCT 5D9 22 24 26 32 41 
			 Langbaurgh PCT 5KN 0 29 25 27 31 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 5KM 0 60 64 70 63 
			 North Durham Health Care NHS Trust RR9 53 5 0 0 0 
			 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust RVW 22 3 2 0 0 
			 North Tees PCT 5E1 24 36 48 46 43 
			 Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust RCA 26 0 0 0 0 
			 Sedgefield PCT 5KE 0 23 25 23 22 
			 South Durham Health Care NHS Trust RTA 65 1 0 0 0 
			 Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust RVX 86 0 0 0 0 
			 (1) SHA is based on the 2002 organisational structure.   Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census.

Health White Paper

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2006,  Official Report, column 452W, on the Health White Paper, when she expects the review of walk-in centre funding arrangements to be complete; whether she plans to publish the review in full; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Fieldwork to inform the review is now well advanced and we plan to publish the review report in the new year.

Health White Paper

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2006,  Official Report, column 453W, on the Health White Paper, when she plans to run the campaign to increase awareness and understanding of direct payments.

Ivan Lewis: The Department is working with stakeholders, including local authorities and the Commission for Social Care Inspection, to increase uptake. This includes planning a national campaign to raise public awareness of direct payments. In addition, the Government are seeking to extend direct payments to those without capacity to consent to them. This will require legislative changes so the timing will depend on the parliamentary timetable.

HIV/AIDS

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a finalised version of the Government's report to the 2006 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS will be published.

Caroline Flint: The Department published a final version of the Government's report on monitoring the UNAIDS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS on 6 November which we have also sent to UNAIDS. Copies have been placed in the Library.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she plans to submit proposed legislation amending the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 to pre-legislative scrutiny.

Caroline Flint: The Government intend to publish policy proposals shortly, following the Department's review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The Government accept that the benefits of wide consultation and scrutiny are especially appropriate to this ethically contentious area, and will give serious consideration to publishing any legislation to revise the 1990 Act in draft for pre-legislative scrutiny.

Incontinence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what  (a) steps the Government have taken and  (b) resources it has allocated to ensure that the recently published National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on urinary incontinence are followed;
	(2)  what the NHS budget is in 2006-07 for provision of incontinence services;
	(3)  what treatment for incontinence is provided by the NHS;
	(4)  which stakeholders are working on the development of commissioning guidance on incontinence services; and how many meetings of the stakeholder group have been held in 2006;
	(5)  what the timetable is for publication of the commissioning guidance on incontinence services;
	(6)  how many primary care trusts provide an integrated incontinence service;
	(7)  what progress the Government have made in delivering the commitment in the National Service Framework for Older People to establish integrated incontinence services by April 2004;
	(8)  when the second National Audit of Continence Care for Older People is expected to be published.

Andy Burnham: We have established the independent Healthcare Commission, which is charged with ensuring compliance with national guidelines, including National Service Frameworks (NSFs) and guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE have estimated that full implementation of the guideline on incontinence will save about 3 million a year nationally, or about 46,000 a year for a primary care trust serving a population of 300,000 which will determine how to re-invest any savings for the benefit of the people they serve.
	It is for professionals in primary care trusts to commission services for local people, based on current and forecast needs and in consultation with stakeholders, rather than operate within fixed budgets for continence care.
	A range of services are provided by the national health service for people with continence needs, including free continence pads and a variety of clinical interventions.
	We have commissioned guidance on a number of key issues, one of which is continence services, which will form part of a high-level report to the Secretary of State in 2007 on developing services for older people with complex needs. The National Director for Older People has convened an Older People's Specialist Forum comprising national leaders from medicine, occupational therapy, nursing and allied health professions, including mental health and the independent sector along with the Department's specialist clinical advisers. The forum meets quarterly.
	As part of monitoring the implementation of the NSF for Older People, an initial audit of continence services has been undertaken by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) on behalf of the Healthcare Commission, and supported by the National Director for Older People. It indicated that less than half of primary care trusts included in the initial survey had met the target. The RCP re-audited the service between 3 July 2006 and 13 September 2006 and will publish the findings in November of this year.

Independent Review Panel

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the running cost of the Independent Review Panel has been in each year since it was established.

Andy Burnham: The running costs of the independent reconfiguration panel in each year since it was established were:
	
		
			
			 2003-04 190,000 
			 2004-05 190,000 
			 2005-06 235,000

Independent Treatment Centres

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the utilisation rate of independent sector treatment centres has been in each month since October 2003.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Independent sector treatment centre utilisation 
			  Percentage 
			 2003  
			 October 78 
			 November 112 
			 December 111 
			   
			 2004  
			 January 111 
			 February 90 
			 March 88 
			 April 105 
			 May 88 
			 June 92 
			 July 98 
			 August 103 
			 September 91 
			 October 88 
			 November 76 
			 December 66 
			   
			 2005  
			 January 63 
			 February 59 
			 March 65 
			 April 69 
			 May 60 
			 June 70 
			 July 73 
			 August 76 
			 September 78 
			 October 80 
			 November 76 
			 December 71 
			   
			 2006  
			 January 79 
			 February 78 
			 March 85 
			 April 77 
			 May 85 
			  Note: Figures include the mobile ophthalmology service but exclude the general supplementary contracts, the national contract for MRI services, and the pathfinder schemes. Utilisation is measured on the basis of value rather than activity to allow for the variations which can occur through substitution of activity between procedures of varying value. 
		
	
	The Department procured independent sector capacity on the basis of capacity planning exercises conducted through strategic health authorities where the additional capacity in elective treatment and diagnostics required to meet key public service agreement waiting times targets was estimated. Where the estimates of demand have not been met so far in a contract the Department is working with the national health service and independent providers to ensure contracts deliver best value over the life of the contract.

Infant Mortality

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in reducing infant mortality differences between income cohorts.

Caroline Flint: Information on income is not routinely collected at death or birth registration.
	Infant mortality by socio-economic group based on father's occupation is collected and routinely published. This information is used to monitor the health inequalities infant mortality PSA target, and progress since 1997-99 is set out in the table.
	Infant mortality rates have improved in all socio-economic groups with rates at a historic low level. However, rates have improved faster in the general population than in lower socio-economic groups. The overall national infant mortality rate for jointly registered births has fallen from 5.6 per 1,000 live births in 1997-99 to 4.9 in 2002-04, compared with a fall in routine and manual groups from 6.3 per 1,000 live births in 1997-99 to 5.9 in 2002-04. The result is that, despite the overall improvement, the gap has widened since 1997-99, though it has remained the same since 2001-03.
	
		
			  3-year average infant mortality rates( 1)  by NS-SEC 90 for 1997-2001 and NS-SEC for 2001 onwards by NS-SEC analytical classes 
			   NS-SEC 90  NS-SEC 2001 
			  Analytical classes  1997-99  1998-2000  1999-2001  1999-2001( 2)  2000-02( 2)  2001-03  2002-04 
			 Managerial and professional 4.1 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.5 3.4 
			 Intermediate 5.3 5.1 5.0 4.9 5.0 4.7 4.7 
			 Routine and manual 6.3 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.0 6.0 5.9 
			 All(3) 5.6 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.2 5.0 4.9 
			 (1) Infant deaths per 1,000 live births.  (2) Using NS SEC for 2001 and later years' data. Information on the father's occupation is not collected for births outside marriage if the father does not attend the registration of the baby's birth.  (3) Infants born inside marriage or outside marriage jointly registered by both parents.   Notes:  1. Figures for live births are a 10 per cent. sample coded for father's occupation.  2. The table does not show rates for those in the other NS-SEC groups.   Source:  ONS. 
		
	
	Infant deaths that occur outside marriage and are registered by mother alone are not analysed by socio-economic group as information on mother's occupation is often not stated.

Infertility Treatment

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts do not fund IVF treatment.

Caroline Flint: This information is not collected centrally as a matter of routine. However, we are aware that the Gloucestershire, North Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire primary care trusts have temporarily suspended the provision of in vitro fertilisation procedures. We are working with the patient support organisation Infertility Network UK to help primary care trusts engage with fertility patients in the planning and prioritisation of services.

Infertility Treatment

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to ensure that all women with appropriate need receive at least one cycle of IVF funded by the NHS.

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to my reply given to question 99897 which refers to our work with the patient support organisation Infertility Network UK to help primary care trusts engage with fertility patients in the planning and prioritisation of services.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average inpatient stay was for a person admitted to hospital with influenza infection in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The information has been provided by The Information Centre for Health and Social Care, Hospital Episode Statistics 1997-2005 from the online website at:
	www.hesonline.nhs.uk/Ease/servlet/ContentServer?siteID=1937categoryID=203.
	The average length of stay for national health service hospitals in England is measured by the mean length of stay and the median length of stay for the following primary diagnosis codes:
	influenza due to be identified influenza virus (code J10); and
	influenza where the virus has not been identified (code J11).
	
		
			  Primary diagnosis  Mean length of stay  Median length of stay 
			 1997-98   
			 J10Influenza due to identified influenza virus 6.1 4 
			 J11Influenza, virus not identified 5 2 
			
			 1998-99   
			 J10Influenza due to influenza virus identified 8.3 4 
			 J11Influenza, virus not identified 5.1 2 
			
			 1999-2000   
			 J10Influenza due to identified influenza virus 8.0 4 
			 J11Influenza, virus not identified 6.1 3 
			
			 2000-01   
			 J10Influenza due to identified influenza virus 8.1 5 
			 J11Influenza, virus not identified 5.4 2 
			
			 2001-02   
			 J10Influenza due to identified influenza virus 6.9 4 
			 J11Influenza virus not identified 6.8 3 
			
			 2002-03   
			 J10Influenza due to identified influenza virus 11.4 4 
			 J11Influenza virus not identified 6.0 2 
			
			 2003-04   
			 J10Influenza due to identified influenza virus 7 4.0 
			 J11Influenza virus not identified 6 2.0 
			
			 2004-05   
			 J10Influenza due to identified influenza virus 7.8 4 
			 J11Influenza, virus not identified 6.4 1

Influenza

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to ensure that all who require an influenza vaccination in 2006 have received one; what the reasons are for the  (a) shortages and  (b) delays in delivery of vaccine in some areas of England; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Chief Medical Officer wrote to all healthcare professionals on 29 June 2006, advising how stocks should be prioritised for the different 'at risk' groups. This was following advice from the UK Vaccine Industry Group that there may be delays in the availability of flu vaccines to some surgeries due to problems encountered during the vaccine manufacturing process. A subsequent letter from the Department advised that 15.2 million doses of flu vaccine would be available in the UK this year, an increase on previous years.
	Both letters are available in the Library.

Influenza

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the  (a) provision and  (b) availability of influenza vaccinations in the West Midlands.

Caroline Flint: GPs are responsible for ordering their own supply of flu vaccine from one of the six suppliers to the UK of their choice. The amount of vaccine ordered by GPs should take into consideration the number of patients in at risk groups registered with them. This year, 15.2 million doses of flu vaccine are available for distribution in the UK. This is over 1 million more doses than were used last year.

Influenza

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether carers qualify as one of the high risk groups entitled to a priority influenza vaccination; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Those who are in receipt of a carer's allowance, or those who are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill should be given flu vaccine on an individual basis at the general practitioner's discretion in the context of other clinical risk groups in their practice.

Influenza

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is any further prioritisation within the high risk group of those who are automatically entitled to an influenza vaccination in the event of a vaccination shortage.

Caroline Flint: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) confirmed that vaccine should be prioritised for those aged 65 and over and those in clinical risk groups before any other group. The JCVI have not advised on prioritisation within risk groups.

Influenza

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken to encourage a higher uptake of the influenza vaccination among high risk groups than occurred in 2005.

Caroline Flint: We launched a media campaign on 2 October incorporating a number of strategies aimed at encouraging people in our target risk groups to receive their flu vaccination. The campaign incorporated:
	national TV advertising;
	advertising in national and regional press including minority ethnic media; radio (community messaging),
	pharmacy bags
	local action packs have been provided to national health service communications staff and to flu coordinators; and
	work with commercial stakeholders such as Asthma UK, Heart UK, Tesco, Morrison, Mothercare.
	The Chief Medical Officer wrote to all general practitioners with details of this year's influenza programme on 29 June 2006. a copy is available in the Library.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received on the availability of vaccines for seasonal influenza; from which individuals and organisations representations have been received; what the content of those representations was; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend has not had any recent meetings regarding the availability of seasonal flu vaccine, but the Department has received 17 letters and 10 parliamentary questions on the subject.
	Manufacturers have indicated that seasonal flu vaccine will be delivered throughout October, November and December. We expect 15.2 million doses of vaccine to be available this year.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects her Department's review of the seasonal influenza immunisation programme to be completed; if she will publish the results of the review; which individuals and organisations are contributing to the review; which options for procuring seasonal influenza vaccine are under consideration by the review team; whether the review will examine the case for a greater reliance on antivirals in addition to seasonal influenza vaccines for the purposes of protecting vulnerable patients during the influenza season; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The independent review is conducting an assessment of the arrangements currently in place for the seasonal flu vaccination programme. The reviewers have had discussions with strategic health authorities, primary care trusts, general practitioners, British Medical Association and vaccine manufacturers. The report will be submitted to the Department in due course.

Influenza

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made with the programme for the administering of influenza vaccinations.

Caroline Flint: Distribution of influenza vaccine started in September and we are expecting that by the end of November 13 million doses will have been delivered. This represents nearly 90 per cent. of the total available vaccine.

Insulin Resistance

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the possible link between Bisophenol-A and insulin resistance.

Andy Burnham: We are not aware of any research that has been commissioned into insulin resistance linked to exposure to Bisophenol-A.

International GCSE

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department recognises the International GCSE as an acceptable substitute for a GCSE for the purposes of recruitment.

Ivan Lewis: When advertising vacancies the Department publishes the competencies required for the post. Appointment decisions are then made on merit based on an assessment of candidates against that set of competencies.

Isabel Healthcare

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2006,  Official Report, column 137W, on Isabel Healthcare, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the implementation of Isabel Healthcare's diagnosis software on the level of misdiagnosis within the NHS.

Caroline Flint: In August 2002 my noble Friend the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department, instituted an examination of the Isabel product's potential effectiveness in the wider clinical context and of options for promoting its wider use in the NHS. A study was designed that covered a wide range of issues that would need to be researched, including experience of current users, qualitative comparisons with other similar tools, user friendliness, and cost. The findings of the study, done at the University of Portsmouth, were published in March 2004.
	The report concluded that Isabel was providing a useful service to clinicians, was capable of contributing to the NHS Quality programme, and that it had the potential to improve outcomes for patients. However, in its then state of development, Isabel was judged not to be robust in that it could be subject to loss of user confidence due to a variety of reasons, the most serious being poor quality information. Isabel was felt to be disadvantaged by its reliance on free text searching, which could potentially result in a diagnosis being made on the basis of inconsistent or unverifiable sources. It is largely as a result of this feature that Isabel was understood to enjoy only limited clinical support. The report concluded that this and other issues needed to be addressed before the Isabel product could be considered for being made available throughout the NHS.
	Currently, decision support functionality within the National Programme for IT is being provided through a system called Map of Medicine. This has been evaluated to be an effective tool with considerable potential, developed in association between the Royal Free Hospital and UCL Medical School. Unlike Isabel, Map of Medicine already covers all ages of patient and, in contrast to Isabel, it uses tagged data to ensure that diagnosis is reliable, consistent and verifiable. Map of Medicine is already being deployed in four of the programme's five regional cluster areas.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which information technology projects are being undertaken by  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies; what the (i) start date, (ii) original planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) originally planned costs and (v) estimated costs are of each; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information technology (IT) projects currently being undertaken by the Department and its agencies are listed below by:
	name of project;
	start date of project;
	original planned completion date of project;
	expected completion date of project;
	original planned costs of project (in 000s); and
	estimated costs of project (in 000s).
	
		
			  Name of project  Start date  Original planned completion  Expected completion  Original planned costs (000)  Estimated costs (000) 
			 UNIFY2 July2006 March 2007 March 2007 1,400 1,400 
			 Notes 7 upgrade October 2006 December 2006 April 2007 1,500 2,200 
			 Windows XP SP2 upgrade January 2006 October 2006 January 2007 900 1450 
			 External services environment April 2006 September 2006 December 2006 215 215 
			 Network and cabling upgrade to Quarry house January 2006 April 2007 July 2007 3,000 3,150 
			 Web 2006 November 2005 June 2006 December 2006 176 176 
			 Enterprise project and collaboration November 2005 October 2006 December 2006 150 135 
			 The Club Project June 2005 July 2006 November 2006 5,710 5,903 
			 NHS reconfiguration July 2006 October 2006 November 2006 202 151 
			 Enterprise Project Management December 2005 August 2006 October 2006 213 240 
		
	
	
		
			  National Programme for IT( 1) 
			  Programme area  Contractor  Lifetime contract value ( million) 
			 Spine BT 620 
			 N3 broadband network BT 530 
			 Choose and Book core contract Atos Origin SchlumbergerSema 64.5 
			 London LSP BT CCA 996 
			 North East LSP Accenture 1,099 
			 NW/W Midlands LSP CSC 973 
			 Eastern LSP Accenture 934 
			 Southern LSP Fujitsu 986 
			 Total  6,202.5 
			 (1 )There is no single national start or completion date for the national programme for information technology as a whole, or for its individual systems and services. The aim is to achieve substantial integration of health and social care information systems in England under the national programme by 2010. Clearly systems will need to be upgraded in the light of new technology and new National Health Service requirements beyond that date. The approach, in line with best practice, is to implement new services incrementally, avoiding big-bang approach, and providing increasingly richer functionality over time. The value of the contracts let for the core components of the national programme amounts to 6.2 billion over 10 years, and this has not increased.

KPMG Limited

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projects were undertaken by KPMG for her Department in  (a) 2004-05 and  (b) 2005-06; what projects have been undertaken in 2006 to date; and what the cost of such projects was in each year.

Ivan Lewis: The term project is not clearly defined so we have therefore included in the following table both one-off pieces of work and ongoing services procured from KPMG Limited Liability Partnership.
	
		
			  Financial year  Project 
			  2004-05 Independent sector treatment centre programme (ISTC) 
			  National health service foundation trusts working capital assessments and implementation support 
			  Commercial directorate strategy and review 
			  NHS performance action team 
			  Management review and assessment at the senior civil service assessment centres 
			  Ad hoc commissions and support resources 
			   
			  2005-06 Blood Products Laboratory 
			  ISTC programme (ISTC) 
			  NHS foundation trusts working capital assessments and implementation support 
			  Commercial directorate strategy and review 
			  NHS performance action team 
			  Financial strategy project 
			  Management review and assessment at the senior civil service assessment centres 
			  Ad hoc commissions and support resources 
			   
			  2006 to present Blood Products Laboratory 
			  ISTC programme 
			  NHS foundation trusts working capital assessments and implementation support 
			  Management review and assessment at the senior civil service assessment centres 
			  Ad hoc commissions and support resources 
		
	
	The total cost of these projects are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Expenditure () 
			 2004-05 3,441,000 
			 2005-06 7,762,000 
			 2006- to present 3,076,000 
		
	
	Detailed costs of individual projects are commercially sensitive and are therefore unavailable.

Light Bulbs

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of light bulbs purchased by her Department in 2005 were of the compact fluorescent type.

Ivan Lewis: The proportion of light bulbs purchased by the Department of Health in the past year that were of the compact fluorescent type was 70 per cent.

Local Formularies

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to primary care trusts on  (a) the production of local formularies and  (b) the account to be taken of product availability when producing local formularies.

Andy Burnham: We have issued no such guidance.

Local Involvement Networks

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she plans to take to recruit volunteers to local involvement networks.

Rosie Winterton: The recruitment of volunteers to Local Involvement Networks (LINks) will be determined locally. Local authorities with social services responsibilities will be given money to contract with a local organisation such as a voluntary and community group to identify the most appropriate arrangements for hosting the LINk. Such arrangements also include recruiting members from these sectors who have the relevant expertise and experience required to carry out such a role. We are also encouraging current patient forum members to join a LINk to continue with the good work they are already doing.

Local Involvement Networks

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she plans to put in place to ensure the independence of local involvement networks.

Rosie Winterton: The role of local authorities will be to tender a contract for a host organisation to support the local involvement network (LINk). Local authorities have considerable expertise and experience of holding contracts with local voluntary and community sector organisations. Their knowledge of the local circumstances means that they will be well placed to award and manage these contracts.
	This will not mean that a local authority will have control of the LINk. Local authorities will manage their contract with the host to ensure its contractual obligations are met. It will not have any power in determining the LINk's actions, or the way in which it spends its money.
	The LINk will operate independently of the local authority, within its own constitution, governance structure and decision-making processes.

Local Involvement Networks

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanism she plans to put in place to enable local involvement networks to interact directly with the boards of trust hospitals.

Rosie Winterton: Local Involvement Networks (LINks) will be able to request information from the boards of hospital trusts and they will be obliged to provide it. LINks will also have the right to make reports and recommendations to boards of trusts which will be obliged to respond within a set time scale.

Local Involvement Networks

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she plans to take to ensure that  (a) mental health trusts,  (b) learning disabilities trusts,  (c) ambulance trusts and  (d) other smaller NHS trusts will be represented by local involvement networks.

Rosie Winterton: NHS trusts will not be represented by Local Involvement Networks (LINks).
	The primary function of Local Involvement Networks (LINks) is to gather the views and experiences of people in their area regarding the health and social care services that they use. They are designed to cover all the services in their area, and in this way they will scrutinise the entire patient journey, rather than just looking at individual trusts or services. We intend LINks to be flexible, and able to be adapted to best fit local circumstances.
	While we are not prescribing the structure or make- up of LINks, we envisage that a LINk may well wish to set up specialist groups, for example, one that considers each specialist area such as mental health services, learning disabilities services and ambulance services.

Local Involvement Networks

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will undertake inspections and monitoring of hospitals under the Government's plans to replace patient and public involvement forums.

Rosie Winterton: One of the pivotal roles of Local Involvement Networks (LINks) will be to monitor and assess the commissioning and provision of health and social care services. We are currently considering what powers LINks will need to enable them to fulfil this role.

Macular Degeneration

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration in the Greater Peterborough Primary Care Trust area in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Information is not available in the format requested.

Maternity Units

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the Wyre Forest maternity unit closed; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Worcestershire acute hospitals national health service trust closed the Wyre Forest birthing centre in September 2003 because of concerns for patient safety. A review of the unit, subsequently carried out by West Midlands South strategic health authority (SHA), found that there were failings in the standard of care provided in the cases investigated.
	The report of this review was published by the SHA on 11 November 2004.
	The future of the birthing centre is subject to the outcome of the current review of clinical services and finances across Worcestershire.

Maternity/Paediatric Services (Teesside)

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received on her decision to refer maternity and paediatric services in Teesside to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel; from whom such representations were received; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health received referrals affecting maternity and paediatric services in Teesside from the Joint Overview Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) chaired by Middlesbrough borough council covering the local authorities of Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton, Hartlepool, North Yorkshire and Durham on 7 July 2006, and the Stockton Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) on 3 July 2006. In addition, Hartlepool borough council's Adult and Community Services and Health Scrutiny Forum also wrote to her on the same subject on 31 July.

Meat Processing

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many slaughter facilities in England have closed due to  (a) internal financial difficulties or of their own accord and  (b) lack of compliance with public or animal health regulations in the last five years.

Caroline Flint: The following table shows the number of red meat and poultry meat slaughterhouses in England for the years 2001 to 2005 which:
	 (a) surrendered their licences to operate under the Meat Hygiene Regulations or had them revoked because they had ceased operating of their own accord;
	 (b) had their licences revoked due to lack of compliance with the regulations.
	From 1 January 2006 to date: the EU Food Hygiene Regulations, which came into effect on 1 January, require all previously licensed slaughterhouses to be re-approved. To date, around a third of slaughterhouses have been assessed for re-approval and seven have been refused approval due to lack of compliance with the regulations. Of these, two subsequently upgraded their standards, enabling them to gain conditional approval; three have appeals pending; one is expected to appeal and one has closed.
	Where an appeal is lodged, the plant may continue operating until the appeal is determined, subject to any conditions imposed by the agency for the protection of public health.
	Since 1 January 2006, 16 slaughterhouses have not sought re-approval and closed of their own accord.
	During the same 2001-06 period, 18 red meat slaughterhouses and 20 poultry meat slaughterhouses gained a licence/approval.
	
		
			   (a)  (b) 
			 2001 19 2 
			 2002 16  
			 2003 30 (1)2 
			 2004 21 1 
			 2005 21 (2)2 
			 (1) One was subsequently re-licensed after correcting deficiencies (2) One was subsequently re-licensed after correcting deficiencies

Medical Careers

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to implement Modernising Medical Careers.

Rosie Winterton: Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) is a major initiative aimed to improve both patient care and doctors' training. For this reason it is subject to significant governance processes involving both the Department and the national health service.
	The first stage of MMC, the foundation programme, was successfully introduced in August 2005. The second phase, new specialty training programmes, will be introduced in August 2007. Recruitment will begin in January 2007.
	There is currently much work under way to manage the transition to the new system for specialty training, including ensuring fair and effective arrangements for trainees already in the system and the development of new and improved recruitment and selection procedures.

Mental Health

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to mental health provision in  (a) Suffolk,  (b) Cambridgeshire,  (c) Essex and  (d) Norfolk in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Allocations are made to primary care trusts and it is for them to commission services, including mental health services, to meet the needs of the populations they serve. Information on mental health spending is available from the following independent reports from 2001 onwards.
	The 2005-06 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/50/11/04135011.pdf
	The 2004-05 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/11/52/96/04115296.pdf
	The 2003-04 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/12/33/88/04123388.pdf
	The 2002-03 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services at
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/12/33/96/04123396.pdf
	The 2001-02 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/12/33/82/04123382.pdf

Mental Health

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the implications for the  (a) work force and  (b) training of delivering psychological therapies.

Rosie Winterton: The Department launched a new programme on improving access to psychological therapies in May. The programme is working with the Care Services Improvement Partnership, academia, professional bodies and other stakeholders to assess the work force and training implications of delivering significant improvements in access to evidence-based psychological interventions. This includes defining the appropriate service models, skill mix, competencies and the required training capacity for delivering better access to high quality psychological therapy services nationally.

Mental Health

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to rural proof the measures in the planned Bill to amend the Mental Health Act 1983.

Rosie Winterton: The purpose of mental health legalisation is to protect patients and others from harm that can arise from mental disorder. It sets out the procedures that must be followed when it becomes necessary to treat someone for their mental disorder without their consent, and the safeguards and support that are available to patients. Mental health law applies in the same way to all patients, regardless of location.
	The Government's real terms increased investment in mental health services of 93 million between 2001-06 has allowed the national health service to more effectively meet local needs, including rural needs. This increased investment was part of the baseline resources allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs), who are responsible for locally commissioning mental health services according to their assessment of local needs. For example, if a rural community is particularly close knit, guarding against stigma of mental health service users may be a particular issue.

Methylphenidate

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2006,  Official Report, column 2094W, on methylphenidate, how many prescriptions for methylphenidate were issued to  (a) nought to under six year olds and six to 15 year olds.

Ivan Lewis: Information is not collected in the format requested.
	The information given in my written answer on 26 October,  Official Report, column 2094W, was linked to prescriptions where the patient claimed an exemption from the prescription charge. The only categories relating to young persons are the 0-15 age group and those aged 16-18 who are in full-time education. It is not possible to split the age groups further.

Migration Projections

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account is taken by her Department of migration projections when decisions are made on the  (a) siting and  (b) configuration of (i) primary care and (ii) acute care services.

Andy Burnham: The siting and configuration of national health service primary and acute care services are matters for local decision making. Local commissioners are responsible for undertaking needs assessments to inform their decisions, which take account of factors such as migration projections.

Milk Tokens

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls the milk token helpline has received about delays in the delivery of milk tokens in each month since January 2003; and what proportion of total calls each figure represents.

Caroline Flint: Information on the number of calls about delays in the delivery of milk tokens is not collected separately.
	When delays occur they generally result in a request for the tokens to be re-issued. Milk tokens can be re-issued for a number of reasons including not being received due to a change of address, not being received due to being lost in transit or being received but subsequently either damaged, lost or stolen.
	The total number of calls received by the token distribution unit operated helpline for 2004 and 2005 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   2004  2005 
			 Total yearly number of calls answered by operators 90,731 295,395 
			 Monthly average number of calls answered by operators 7,561 24,616 
			 Total yearly number of token re-issues 9,264 45,768 
			 Average number of token re-issues per month 772 3,814 
		
	
	Calls are received from the approximate 720,000 eligible beneficiaries as well as other inquirers. Since November 2004, when a new application process for pregnant women was introduced for the first time, information materials produced for the scheme have actively encouraged beneficiaries and the public to contact the helpline if they have any questions or problems. Our aim is to make it as easy as possible for beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries to get information to help them to apply and use their tokens.

Milk Tokens

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the maximum number of weeks is for which a claim for milk tokens has been backdated since 2003.

Caroline Flint: Separate information on the number of weeks for which claims are backdated is not held.
	It is estimated that the average number of weeks for which a claim is backdated is 10 weeks. This delay is a result of the time it takes HM Revenue and Customs to process an application for child tax credit and to notify the token distribution unit.
	A recent request from HM Revenue and Customs for a backdated payment covered a period of 96 weeks. Requests of this length are uncommon and usually result from difficulties in the finalisation of the award of child tax credit.

Ministerial Travel

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to offset the carbon dioxide emissions caused by ministerial travel in her Department.

Ivan Lewis: All central Government ministerial and official air travel is being offset from 1 April 2006. Departmental aviation emissions are calculated on an annual basis and subsequently offset through payments to a central fund. The fund purchases certified emissions reductions credits from energy efficiency and renewable energy projects with sustainable development benefits, located in developing countries.

Ministry of Defence

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been provided to the NHS by the Ministry of Defence in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: I have been asked to reply.
	The amount of funding provided by the MOD to the NHS for the treatment of Service personnel (the MOD pays the costs of treatment of Service personnel in the NHS Trusts that host Ministry of Defence Hospital Units (MDHUs)) and procurement of medical supplies for the following years is:
	
		
			  Financial year  Cost ( million) 
			 2004-05 33 
			 2005-06 34 
			  Source:  DMSD/Med S IPT 
		
	
	Figures for previous years are not held centrally.

Modernising Medical Careers

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to minimise the potential for disruption in implementing reform of junior doctor training under the modernising medical careers initiative.

Rosie Winterton: Modernising medical careers is a major initiative aimed to improve both patient care and doctors' training. For this reason it is subject to significant governance processes involving both the Department and the national health service.
	There is currently much work under way to manage the transition to the new system including fair and effective arrangements for trainees already in the system and the development of new and improved recruitment and selection procedures.

Morning-after Pill

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the impact of the availability of the morning-after pill on the teenage pregnancy rate in England; and if she will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	It is not possible to determine the precise impact of individual interventions on teenage pregnancy rates. The strategy is based on the best international evidence on what works in reducing teenage pregnancies. The strategy is making steady progressbetween 1998 (the baseline year for the strategy) and 2004 (the latest year for which data are available), the under-18 rate has fallen by 11.1 per cent. and the under-16 rate has fallen by 15.2 per cent. Both rates are now at their lowest levels for 20 years. There has been no change in the proportion of under-16s having sex since the strategy began.
	The key strands of the strategy are (i) to emphasise the benefits of delaying the start of sexual activity and (ii) where young people are having or likely to have sex, to improve their knowledge of and access to contraceptive and sexual health advice and treatment, including providing emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) for young women who have had unprotected sex. This removes the risk of an unplanned pregnancy and provides the opportunity for health professionals to encourage more consistent contraceptive use, to avoid the need for EHC in the future.

Mortality Rates

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the extent to which mortality rates for  (a) cancer,  (b) coronary heart disease,  (c) stroke and  (d) diabetes in each primary care trust area reflect the incidence of disease in that area.

Rosie Winterton: Incidence and prevalence of diabetes is greater in areas of higher deprivations, with mortality rates from diabetes higher in people from lower socio-economic groups. In people with diabetes, life expectancy is reduced on average by more than 15 years in people with type 1 diabetes; between five and seven years in people with type 2 diabetes (at age 55 years). Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about two to four times higher than adults without diabetes.
	A table showing the prevalence of cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes in each primary care trust in England in 2005-05, has been placed in the Library.
	We are on target to meet our target of a reduction of at least 20 per cent. in cancer deaths by 2010. Cancer mortality in people under 75 fell by nearly 16 per cent. between 1996 and 2004. This equates to over 50,000 lives saved over this period.

Mortuary Security

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents have been recorded of body bags being tampered with by unauthorised personnel in NHS hospital mortuaries in each of the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collated centrally.

Mortuary Security

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many break-ins there have been at mortuaries in NHS hospitals in each of the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collated centrally.

National IT Programme

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which  (a) NHS trusts,  (b) NHS foundation trusts and  (c) primary care trusts have opted out of the systems being provided through the National Programme for Information Technology.

Caroline Flint: We are not aware of any trust having opted out of the national programme for information technology (NPfIT). Directions issued to national health service chief executives in September 2003 made strategic health authorities responsible for ensuring that all individual NHS organisations meet the reasonable expectations required of them under the programme's centrally-negotiated contracts. This requirement to participate in NPfIT and to achieve technical and functional compliance with the hardware and software provided under the programme was reinforced by guidance issued to NHS foundation trusts by Monitor in April 2006. Systems deployed under the national programme are already in place in every acute trust, and in some 98 per cent. of general practices.
	In January 2005 Wirral NHS Trust was in the position of needing to replace its hospital patient administration system (PAS) before an equivalent system was available from the local clusters LSP. Having initially identified a potential alternative commercial provider, the trust subsequently took the decision to opt for a solution developed by the Cerner Corporation for the southern cluster in order to deliver its specific functionality requirements from 2007.
	Similarly, earlier this year, open invitations to tender were placed for a new PAS by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS trust, and for a PAS and a number of other clinical systems by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS trust. Bradford's need was to ensure that a contingency option was available to replace a current contract, due to expire in March 2007, should the NPfIT PAS not be deployed before that date. In the event the local service provider (LSP) is working closely with the trust to ensure a programme-delivered solution is available before the end of March 2007. In Newcastle, discussion is ongoing between the LSP and the trust about how the suite of products available under the programme can best fit the trust's business needs, and on issues of timing. However, the intention of the trust to participate fully in the national programme is not in question.
	In addition, in September 2003, the University College London Hospitals NHS trust placed a contract for, and subsequently took delivery of, a PAS before the contract for the local service provider for the London cluster had been signed. The contract was placed against a very pressing timescale informed by the commissioning of the new University College hospital, and included other necessary IT infrastructure. Again, the intention of the trust to participate fully in the national programme is not in question, nor its intention to migrate to the national programme PAS solution at a future stage of the London cluster deployment plans.

Netcare

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will publish the contract to be entered into by the NHS and Netcare in respect of health care provision in Lancashire and Cumbria;
	(2)  if she will list those parts of the NHS Estate that are to be made available to Netcare in Lancashire and Cumbria;
	(3)  what responsibilities Netcare will have in Lancashire and Cumbria in respect of training clinicians and students.

Ivan Lewis: The contract is still being negotiated and will be between the Department and the successful provider. The contract is commercially sensitive and, once agreed, would be released in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
	The location of the centres is still to be finalised but it is likely that Workington community hospital, Preston Health Port and Ormskirk hospital will be used with at least four other sites, although not necessarily NHS estate, in the two counties. The aim is that the majority of patients will be no more than 45 minutes travel time from their nearest centre.
	The specific training requirement is also still under negotiation. However, training will be a contractual requirement in all Phase 2 schemes. Providers will be expected to appoint directors of postgraduate training to work with local Deaneries to oversee training provision within ISTCs. Local Deans will be able to co-ordinate the training opportunities within local health economies.

Netcare

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when an announcement will be made about the award of the capture, assess, treat and support contract in Lancashire; and what consultation has been on proposals to award the contract for Lancashire and Cumbria to Netcare.

Ivan Lewis: No contract has been awarded to Netcare for the Capture, Assess Treat and Support scheme in Lancashire. It is still under negotiation with Netcare as the preferred bidder in the negotiation.
	The Department expects to make an announcement on the award of the contract after the consultation and negotiation processes are complete.
	Throughout the independent sector treatment centre programme considerable engagement with the public and national health service stakeholders has taken place. Following recent reconfiguration at strategic health authority and primary care trusts level, and the agreement of the services model principles, it is now an appropriate time to undertake all appropriate consultation or engagement, to ensure that the scheme is shaped and delivered in a manner that provides patients with the best possible service.
	The timing, scope and format of consultation are matters for the local NHS to determine after taking into account the exact specification of the scheme, the views of the relevant overview and scrutiny committees, and local factors in the health economy.

New Doctors

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that there are sufficient specialist training posts to match the number of qualified graduates from medical schools.

Rosie Winterton: As part of the transition to the new modernising medical careers training structure, strategic health authorities, postgraduate deans and national health service trusts are working together to consider how funding for posts should be used to create the appropriate number of training posts in the new structure in the relevant specialities and locations to meet service need. This process will continue throughout 2006, but will be completed in time for the recruitment round for August 2007. The Chief Medical Officer's preliminary estimate is that of between 22,000 and 23,000 training opportunities for doctors across the United Kingdom, between 17,000 and 18,000 of these will provide access to run through training schemes.

New Mothers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what services are provided to mothers following childbirth to promote bonding between mother and child.

Ivan Lewis: Decisions about service provision of all aspects of maternity care need to be made at a local level by the local healthcare providers who are best placed to make them.
	However, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence produced guidelines on postnatal care in July 2006, which recommend that women should not be separated from their baby within the first hour of giving birth and that they should be encouraged to have skin-to-skin contact with their baby and offered support to help start breastfeeding. Health care professionals are expected to follow these guidelines in providing care to new mothers.

New Mothers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what parenting  (a) advice and  (b) training is provided to new mothers; and whether she plans to extend that provision.

Ivan Lewis: The maternity standard of the children's national service framework (NSF) emphasises the need for good antenatal care for all women and their partners, including access to parenting education, and preparation for birth as classes or through other means to enable them to make informed choices about the type of birth they would prefer. Midwives and other members of the maternity team work together to offer antenatal and other support classes including support for breastfeeding, particularly for new parents.
	The Pregnancy Book and Birth to Five are two free Departmental publications which are handed by midwives to women expecting their first child, at the booking-in appointment. These are comprehensive information guides. The Pregnancy Book encompasses a range of information relating to the health of the mother, care during the antenatal period, during labour and birth and the early weeks after birth, including parenting. Both publications encourage women to discuss any concerns that they may have during their pregnancy with an appropriate health professional.
	In addition, the child health promotion programme has a key role in communicating health and parenting messages to parents. This programme, set out in standard one of the NSF for children, is a programme delivered universally, which means that all parents receive support and advice at specific times, for example when their child needs immunisation, but parents can also request support at other times with parenting related issues. New guidance on the programme is being produced in spring 2007 and will include a chapter on parenting.
	The Department is also working closely with the Department for Education and Skills to ensure a focus on positive parenting through children's centres, health schools and extended schools.

NHS (Bullying)

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate she has made of  (a) the incidence of bullying of NHS staff and  (b) how many cases involve bullying of black and minority ethnic staff.

Rosie Winterton: The Department of Health does not collect data on rates of bullying and harassment in the NHS. The Healthcare Commission collects data on bullying and harassment as part of the annual NHS staff survey.
	In the 2005 NHS staff survey, 6 per cent. of white staff in all NHS trusts reported that they had experienced harassment, bullying or abuse by a manager/team leader in the previous 12 months, compared with 8 per cent. of non-white staff. Nine per cent. of white staff in all NHS trusts reported that they had experienced harassment, bullying or abuse by colleagues in the previous 12 months, compared with 12 per cent. of non-white staff.

NHS Clinical Records Project

Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the PRINCE2 criteria have been applied in full to the evaluation and monitoring of the project for the computerisation of the NHS clinical records system.

Caroline Flint: As confirmed in the National Audit Office report The National Programme for IT in the NHS, published in June 2006, NHS Connecting for Health is using the PRINCE2 tool to manage the projects within the programme, as recommended by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) for managing Government projects. It has conducted Gateway reviews on the different component projects of the national programme, and of the programme as a whole, at key stages in their development, with reports made direct to senior responsible owners of the projects. It has also established a national programme office to provide central programme management services to support the planning, control and reporting of activities within the programme.

NHS Decision Making

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used on decisions on where to locate  (a) accident and emergency departments and  (b) other NHS facilities; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: It is for the local national health service in consultation with local stakeholders to determine the criteria for making decisions on the location of NHS services, including emergency and urgent care services.
	The Department issued in October 2006 Direction of Travel for Urgent Care: a discussion document that suggests a set of principles for urgent care. The views received from key stakeholders on the discussion document will be used to develop a framework within which primary care trusts and local authorities can work to ensure that the provision of urgent care services reflects local need.

NHS Direct

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the call rate per 100,000 population to NHS Direct was in each quarter since December 2002.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally. The table shows the number of calls answered by NHS Direct per quarter since 2002.
	
		
			Calls answered per quarter( 1) 
			 2003-04   
			 Q1 April to June 1,655,618 
			 Q2 July to September 1,524,876 
			 Q3 October to December 1,628,297 
			 Q4 January to March 1,595,687 
			
			 2004-05   
			 Q1 April to June 1,596,680 
			 Q2 July to September 1,550,490 
			 Q3 October to December 1,688,245 
			 Q4 January to March 1,748,935 
			
			 2005-06   
			 Q1 April to June 1,705,750 
			 Q2 July to September(2) 1,626,466 
			 Q3 October to December 1,723,388 
			 Q4 January to March 1,754,681 
			
			 2006-07   
			 Q1 April to June 1,650,435 
			 Q2 July to September 1,501,597 
			  Notes: 1. Definition of volume: calls answered - number of calls answered/handled after the introductory message. 2. Minor changes in figures for last three quarters of 2005-06 result from review of data.  Source: NHS Direct (National Operations Centre)

NHS Estate Safety

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Eddisbury of 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 628W, on NHS estate safety, what the sub-totals are which were used to accumulate the total cost of the backlog in high-risk maintenance work.

Andy Burnham: The breakdown of high-risk backlog maintenance is not collected centrally.
	High-risk backlog maintenance must be addressed as an urgent priority by NHS organisations.

NHS Finance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the financial position of  (a) North West London Hospitals Trust and  (b) Brent Teaching Primary Care Trust; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The table provided shows the 2005-06 final outturn position and the 2006-07 quarter one forecast outturn position for North West London Hospitals National Health Service Trust and Brent Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT).
	
		
			  000 
			  Organisation  2005-06 Final accounts surplus/(deficit)  2006-07 Quarter 1 forecast outturn surplus/(deficit) 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust (24,064) (31,964) 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 430 0 
			  Source: 2005-06 Audited summarisation schedules 2006-07 Monthly financial monitoring returns

NHS Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings  (a) she and  (b) her officials have had in the last six months with HM Treasury to discuss the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's private finance initiative; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Neither Ministers nor Departmental officials have had any specific meetings with HM Treasury to discuss the private finance initiative (PFI) scheme at the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This issue has been discussed on an ongoing basis by my officials with those of HM Treasury as part of the usual process of progressing PFI business cases.

NHS Finance

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the NHS in Barnet in 1996-97; how much has been allocated to the NHS in Barnet for 2006-07; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The information on expenditure figures for 1996-97 is not held centrally. Expenditure by Barnet health authority for 1998-99 (the earliest year available) was 209 million. This does not include all national health service expenditure in Barnet as pharmaceutical services and general dental services are not accounted by the health authority.
	For 2006-07, Barnet primary care trust received an allocation of 426 million.

NHS Finance

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the capital expenditure has been in the NHS in Barnet since May 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Figures for 1997 are not available. The figures for 1998 to 2005 are in the following table:
	
		
			  Total capital expenditure by national health service bodies in Barnet 
			   000 
			 1998-99 23,472 
			 1999-2000 87,148 
			 2000-01 30,003 
			 2001-02 27,220 
			 2002-03 28,677 
			 2003-04 30,817 
			 2004-05 33,695

NHS Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the budget allocated to primary care trusts for 2006-07 was allocated to them for the purposes of  (a) long-term health improvement,  (b) reducing health inequalities and  (c) tackling issues of public health.

Andy Burnham: The 2006-07 and 2007-08 revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) separately identify 211 million in 2006-07 and 342 million in 2007-08, to support implementation of the Choosing Health White Paper.

NHS IT Systems

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost of the new NHS IT systems for  (a) general practitioners and  (b) hospitals; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The value of the eight centrally-funded core contracts which make up the national programme for information technology is some 6.2 billion. Of this, some 4.9 billion relates to contracts with local service providers whose role is to integrate existing local systems, and where necessary implement new systems, to ensure that the programme's national applications can be delivered to the national health service locally in each of the five cluster areas. Of this sum, around 730 million relates to general practice (GP) systems, and the remainder to systems used in secondary care. In addition, contracts and projects added to the original scope of the national programme include one to the value of 245 million for the provision of central data stores required by NHS trusts for picture archiving and communications systems (PACS).
	Figures for expenditure on implementing the national programme, separate from the totality of NHS spending on information management and technology, are not collected centrally. However, in the recent National Audit Office report on the programme this is quoted at about 3.4 billion, made up of two elements: 2.6 billion on staff training, data conversion and strengthening local information technology networks for hospitals and GPs; and 775 million for PACS.

NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which projects have been funded by the NHS local improvement finance trust in South Tyneside since its inception.

Andy Burnham: There is not a national health service local improvement finance trust in South Tyneside.

NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total value is of the projects initiated by the NHS local improvement finance trust in  (a) the North East,  (b) Tyne and Wear,  (c) South Tyneside and  (d) Jarrow constituency in each year since its inception.

Andy Burnham: The total value of the projects initiated by national health service local improvement finance trusts in each of the following areas in each year since their inception is as follows.
	
		
			  (a) the North East 
			million 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside LIFT  
			 2004 13.4 
			 2005 0 
			 2006 0 
			   
			 Tees Valley LIFT  
			 2004 7.0 
			 2005 11.7 
			 2006 0 
		
	
	The total value of the projects initiated by these two LIFT companies for the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2004 20.4 
			 2005 11.7 
			 2006 0 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) Tyne and WearNorth and North Tyneside LIFT 
			million 
			 2004 13.4 
			 2005 0 
			 2006 0 
		
	
	 (c) South Tynesidenil.
	 (d) Jarrownil.
	 Note:
	The monetary value for these projects only includes those projects that have reached financial close, as figures are not held centrally for projects that are at an earlier stage of development.

NHS Posts

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS posts  (a) became vacant and  (b) not filled in (i) England, (ii) each region and (iii) each trust in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
	Information on vacancies that had lasted for more than three months and that trusts had been actively trying to fill is available since 1999 and can be found on The Information Centre for health and social care's website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/vacsurveyresmar2006

NHS Projects (Costs)

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost to the NHS of abortive costs relating to  (a) abandoned and  (b) scaled down projects since 2004.

Rosie Winterton: All national health service trusts and the Department must report all abortive costs over 250,000 in value incurred in abandoned or scaled down projects in their annual report and accounts which are available locally.

NHS Reorganisations

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost has been of the recent reorganisations of public involvement bodies in the NHS; and what assessment she has made of the effects of those reorganisations.

Rosie Winterton: According to the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) the cost of aligning PPI forums to the recently changed PCT boundaries was 44,000. No assessment has been made of the effects of these changes.

NHS Services (Private Providers)

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether primary care trusts receive the equivalent of full tariff for work transferred to private providers;
	(2)  whether the market forces factor is used to weight the cost of buying provision from private providers to the NHS.

Ivan Lewis: Funding is allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. A weighted capitation formula is used to determine PCTs' target shares of available resources, to enable them to commission similar levels of health services for populations in similar need.
	Under payment by results, PCTs pay national health service trusts and foundation trusts (FTs) for the number and complexity of patients treated on the basis of a national tariff. Therefore, where activity is transferred to a private provider from an NHS trust or FT, money will follow the patient and the PCT is able to fund its payment to the private provider with the money saved on its contract with the NHS trust or FT.
	The market forces factor (MFF) is not directly relevant to the independent sector price, although when considering tenders by the independent sector, geographical cost variations (as given by the MFF) are used by the Department in its assessment of value for money.

NHS Staff

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many  (a) nurses and  (b) doctors are expected (i) to qualify and (ii) to begin employment in the NHS in each of the next five years;
	(2)  how many  (a) doctors and  (b) nurses are expected (i) to retire from and (ii) otherwise to leave the NHS in each of the next five years.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 6 November 2006
	The information requested is not collected centrally.

NHS Staff

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) full-time equivalent and  (b) headcount (i) health visitors, (ii) district nurses and (iii) midwives were employed by the NHS in each year since 1997; and what steps she is taking to increase the number employed by the NHS in each category.

Rosie Winterton: The requested information is shown in the following table. This table does not include all nurses working in primary and community care settings, which have increased by 28,50436.9 per cent.since 1997 and by 3,3893.3 per cent.in 2004-05. Some of these other nurses will be working with district nurses and health visitors.
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff by each specified area of work 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001 
			  Headcount  
			 Registered midwife 22,385 22,841 22,799 22,572 23,075 
			 Health visitor 12,410 12,572 12,800 12,827 13,053 
			 District nurse 14,150 14,260 14,258 14,452 13,510 
			   
			  Full-time equivalent  
			 Registered midwife 18,053 18,168 17,876 17,662 18,048 
			 Health visitor 10,025 10,068 10,161 10,046 10,186 
			 District nurse 11,336 11,432 11,384 11,320 10,734 
		
	
	
		
			   2002  2003  2004  2005 
			  Headcount 
			 Registered midwife 23,249 23,941 24,844 24,808 
			 Health visitor 12,774 12,984 13,303 12,818 
			 District nurse 13,393 13,292 12,827 12,067 
			  
			  Full-time equivalent 
			 Registered midwife 18,119 18,444 18,854 18,949 
			 Health visitor 9,912 9,999 10,137 9,809 
			 District nurse 10,639 10,496 10,000 9,706 
			  Note: Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census 
		
	
	Work force planning is the responsibility of local NHS employers and strategic health authorities, who need to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of midwives, health visitors and district nurses to meet local service needs.

NHS Staff

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health authorities are piloting gowns or veils modelled on  (a) the hijab,  (b) the niqab,  (c) the shalwar kameez,  (d) the jilbab,  (e) the chador and  (f) the burka; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect this information.

NHS Staff

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by  (a) West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust and  (b) Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust on salaries and wages for (i) general and senior managers, (ii) nurses and midwives and (iii) administrative and clerical staff in each of the last five financial years.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not held in the format requested. However, the tables show staff cost expenditure. This includes employer's national insurance contributions, employer's pension contributions and other pension costs.
	
		
			  West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 
			   2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02  2000-01 
			 Total senior managers and managers 3,730,000 2,839,070 2,415,017 2,000,632 1,514,196 
			 Nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 29,346,000 25,783,300 22,734,506 21,389,742 18,075,756 
			 Administrative and clerical 6,884,000 6,076,530 5,328,440 4,826,550 4,226,400 
		
	
	
		
			  Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 
			   2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02  2000-01 
			 Total senior managers and managers 4,750,000 4,461,604 3,758,157 3,142,020 2,521,983 
			 Nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 34,506,000 29,825,701 26,842,414 24,538,085 21,858,483 
			 Administrative and clerical 10,568,000 9,031,104 8,002,393 7,060,144 5,989,726 
			  Source: Annual financial returns for NHS trusts

NHS Treatment of Scots

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with a home address in Scotland were treated in NHS facilities in England in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2005.

Andy Burnham: Figures for the calendar year of 2005 are not yet available. In 2004-05, 5,314 people resident in Scotland were treated in England.

NHS Trust (South Tyneside)

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many compulsory redundancies there have been in South Tyneside NHS Trust in each year since 1996;
	(2)  how many staff have been employed in South Tyneside NHS Trust in each year since 1996;
	(3)  how many clinical staff have been made compulsorily redundant in South Tyneside NHS Trust in each year since its foundation.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of staff employed in South Tyneside national health service trust in each year since 1996 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: NHS staff in the South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust as at 30 September each specified year 
			  Number (headcount) 
			   Total NHS staff 
			 1996 2,720 
			 1997 2,805 
			 1998 2,706 
			 1999 2,899 
			 2000 2,914 
			 2001 3,048 
			 2002(1) 2,422 
			 2003 2,453 
			 2004 2,450 
			 2005 2,372 
			 (1) In 2002 the mental health services from South Tyneside NHS trust migrated to form part of the Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland mental health NHS trust.   Notes:  1. The numbers of health care scientists were not collected until 2003.  2. The information requested on redundancies is not available centrally.   Sources:  1. The Information Centre for health and social care, non-medical workforce census.  2. The Information Centre for health and social care, medical and dental workforce census. 
		
	
	South Tyneside Trust was authorised as an NHS foundation trust from 1 January 2005. As such, matters relating to operational management after this time may be obtained by contacting the Chairman of the trust.

NHS Work Force

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the overall  (a) headcount and  (b) full-time equivalent NHS work force was in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2005-06.

Rosie Winterton: The latest published Work Force Census is as at 30 September 2005. This showed the total number of staff employed in the national health service was 1,365,388 headcount and 1,103,789 full-time equivalent.
	 Source
	The Information Centre for health and social care.

Notifiable Diseases

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria her Department use when certifying a disease as notifiable; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The main purpose of notification is to enable a local authority to consider whether there is a need for it to use its control powers to prevent further spread of the disease. However, it is not necessary for a disease to be notifiable in order for the authority to have control powers relating to it. (For example, the powers in section 31 of the Act for a local authority to disinfect premises are available in relation to any infectious disease). Notification contributes to the gathering of information about disease incidence and prevalence (disease surveillance), but there are also other ways of achieving this.
	Currently, section 10 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 provides that cholera, plague, relapsing fever, smallpox and typhus are notifiable diseases. Section 11 of the Act provides that if a registered medical practitioner becomes aware, or suspects, that a patient whom he is attending is suffering from a notifiable disease or from food poisoning he shall send to the proper officer of the relevant local authority a certificate giving details of the patient and the disease. The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988 apply the notification requirement in section 11 of the Act to certain other infectious diseases (namely acute encephalitis, acute poliomyelitis, anthrax, diphtheria, dysentery (amoebic or bacillary), leprosy, leptospirosis, malaria, measles, meningitis, meningococcal septicaemia (without meningitis), mumps, ophthalmia neonatorum, paratyphoid fever, rabies, rubella, scarlet fever, tetanus, tuberculosis (where the opinion of the registered medical practitioner that the person is suffering from tuberculosis is formed from evidence not solely derived from tuberculin tests), typhoid fever, viral haemorrhagic fever, viral hepatitis, whooping cough, and yellow fever).
	Proposals to change the diseases to which the notification requirement applies would be considered on a case by case basis.

Nurses

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses per 100 beds there have been in  (a) England,  (b) the West Suffolk Hospital and  (c) Ipswich Hospital in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the full-time equivalent number of nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff per 100 average daily available beds for national health service hospital and community services in England and each specified organisation as at 30 September of each specified year.
	
		
			   England  Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust  West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 1997 127 108 69 
			 1998 130 113 68 
			 1999 135 119 80 
			 2000 138 111 79 
			 2001 144 130 94 
			 2002 152 132 103 
			 2003 159 131 116 
			 2004 167 143 122 
			 2005 175 147 128 
			  Notes: 1. Bed data are from the Department of Health Hospital Activity Statistics form KH03, based on the financial year. Available bed numbers are defined as the number of NHS beds available in wards open overnight. Available beds can either be occupied or available for use. This does not include day only beds and residential care beds. 2. Staff in post figures are from The Information Centre for health and social care, non-medical workforce census, 30 September 2005.

Nurses

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many British-trained nurses are seeking employment in nursing.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Nursing/Residential Homes

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) nursing homes and  (b) residential homes were found to be (i) in full compliance, (ii) in part compliance and (iii) not in compliance with the infection control standards set out in the national minimum standards for (A) older people's homes, (B) adult homes and (C) children's homes in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) records whether homes exceed, meet, almost meet or fail to meet the standards so the information cannot be provided in the required format.
	The numbers of nursing and residential homes found to have exceeded, met, almost met and failed to meet infection control standards set out in the national minimum standards for care homes for older people, younger adults and children in each year since the establishment of the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) in April 2002 are shown in the tables which have also been placed in the Library.

On-call General Practitioner Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that doctors providing out of hours on-call services have access to full patient records and up-to-date patient notes.

Caroline Flint: In the future, each person using the national health service will have a personal electronic care record which can be accessed quickly and securely by health care professionals legitimately involved in the person's care. This will include those providing out-of-hours services. The electronic NHS care record will be made up of detailed care records and a summary care record. The summary record will be held on a national database known as Spine to ensure that particularly important patient information is always accessible. This will include data such as name, address, NHS number and date of birth, and clinical information such as allergies, adverse reactions to drugs, and details of any visits to accident and emergency services. More in-depth details will be held locally where most care is delivered. This will include detailed personal health information such as records of conditions, medication, operations, tests, X-rays, scans and other results. Links to local information will be available from the summary record.
	Strict controls will be in place for both the detailed and summary care records so that only those people involved in the care of the patient will have access to patient information appropriate to their role.
	Roll-out of electronic care records across the NHS will be phased over a number of years, with completion expected in 2010.
	The urgent and emergency care strategy we develop will provide the framework for an integrated, whole system patient focused approach to urgent care. This will include access to the electronic patient record.

Organ Donation/Transplants

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what her strategy is for increasing the human organ donation rate in England;
	(2)  what plans she has to increase transplant capacity; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department of Health launched Saving Lives, Valuing Donors: A Transplant Framework for England in 2003 and the National Service Framework for Renal Services in 2004. These set out the Department's key aims for organ and tissue transplantation over the next 10 years. Over the last five years, DH funding has supported a number of hospital based initiatives to increase donor rates such as donor liaison nurses, live donor co-ordinators, new non heartbeating donor programmes and additional transplant co-ordinators.
	We are all anxious to see organ donation and transplant rates start to rise and match rates seen in some other European countries. I have therefore asked a small group of key people to form an organ donation taskforce. The taskforce will:
	identify barriers to organ donation;
	analyse factors militating against organ donation;
	identify current issues that may have a bearing on donation rates;
	recommend action to be taken to increase organ donation and procurement; and
	consider options for improvement.
	The taskforce will report by spring 2007.

Organ Donation/Transplants

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people were on the waiting list for an organ transplant in each year since 1999; and what the average waiting time was for such an operation in each year, broken down by  (a) NHS trust and  (b) organ type;
	(2)  how many people have been awaiting organ donations in each NHS trust in the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Orthodontics

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthodontic treatments were carried out by dentists and orthodontists for  (a) adults and  (b) children in (i) England and (ii) Sheffield in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the number of claims for orthodontic treatment(1) by child and adult in England and Sheffield for the years ending 31 March 2002-2006.
	
		
			   England  Sheffield( 2,3,4) 
			   Child  Adult  Child  Adult 
			 2002 581,248 22,603 6,756 412 
			 2003 587,960 23,468 7,648 392 
			 2004 633,947 25,726 8,212 401 
			 2005 658,874 26,773 9,356 420 
			 2006 714,177 28,920 9,425 379 
			 (1) Data are total number of claims which included at least one orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic treatment is as defined under the terms of the Statement of Dental Remuneration. (2) Data for the year ending 2002 are for Sheffield Health Authority. (3) Data for the year ending 2003 are a combination of April 2002 to September 2002 data for Sheffield Health Authority and October 2002 to March 2003 data for the PCTs listed in superscript 4. (4). Data for the years ending 2004 onwards consist of a sum of the following PCTs: North Sheffield, Sheffield West, Sheffield South West and South East Sheffield.  Notes: 1, Under Personal Dental Services (PDS) pilots, dentists were not required to report orthodontic treatment activity for children. Dentists still had to report the courses of treatment, but they were not identifiable as orthodontic from the treatment lists and may not therefore have been included in the counts of orthodontic treatment claims. 2. Because of the transition arrangements from General Dental Services to PDS pilots, some claims may have been double counted.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care NHS Business Services Authority

Parkinson's Disease

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of gene therapy to alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Andy Burnham: Gene therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's disease is currently undergoing clinical trials in 12 patients in the United States of America. While the initial results look promising, there is a need for long-term monitoring of the trial patients to assess the safety and effectiveness of this procedure.

Parliamentary Questions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will answer question 90449 of 25 July 2006 on Cadbury Schweppes and toxicity, tabled by the hon. Member for Eastleigh.

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to my reply given on 31 October 2006,  Official Report, column 343W.

Parliamentary Questions

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will reply before Prorogation to question 96462, on the sterile supplies service in North-East Hertfordshire, tabled by the hon. Member for North- East Hertfordshire on 18 October.

Andy Burnham: A reply was given to the hon. Member on 7 November 2006.

Passive Smoking (Cars)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of passive smoking from travelling regularly in a car with someone who smokes; and if she will seek to legislate to ban smoking in cars.

Caroline Flint: The evidence on the health effects of secondhand smoke was published by the Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health (SCOTH) in their report in 1998.
	SCOTH published a second report on this subject in November 2004 entitled Secondhand Smoke: Review of evidence since 1998, which concluded that the evidence published since 1998
	confirms that secondhand smoke represents a substantial public health hazard.
	This conclusion is confirmed by the authoritative review conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
	These reports are available in the Library.
	The Health Act 2006 makes provision for vehicles to be smokefree. A full public consultation on proposed regulations was completed on 9 October and we are considering responses. The proposals we have put forward treat vehicles in effectively the same way as other enclosed public places and workplaces. That is, if a vehicle is a public place or a workplace for more than one person, it will be required to be smokefree as set out in the regulations. As with buildings, it is not our intention to legislate in purely private spaces; so private family cars, for example, will not be caughtand neither will private family homes.

Patient Data

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice her Department has issued to NHS trusts on the release of information about patient case histories to Members to enable them to take up cases on behalf of their constituents.

Caroline Flint: The NHS Confidentiality Code of Practice, published in November 2003, provides guidance on required practice for those who work within or under contract to national health service organisations concerning confidentiality and patients' consent to use their health records. The code provides a high-level description of the main relevant legal requirements, and contains examples of appropriate information disclosure decisions in practice. These include that, where a Member states, in writing, that he or she has a patient's consent for disclosure, this may be accepted without further resort to the patient.
	The code has been endorsed by the Information Commissioner, the General Medical Council and the British Medical Association.

Patient Forums

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she expects there to be a role for patient forums in the  (a) establishment and  (b) running of local involvement networks; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: We are keen for forums to be involved actively in the establishment of Local Involvement Networks (LINks). The Department has asked the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) to run a number of 'early adopter' projects in which patients forums, along with local authorities and voluntary and community sector organisations, will participate in the development of activity to prepare for LINks. We encourage all forums to work with local partners to prepare for the establishment of LINks in their areas.
	Patients forums will not be involved in the running of LINks as it is planned that they be abolished and replaced by LINks. We hope that current forum members will join LINks as it will be essential to build on the experience gained over the last three years by forum members, as well as the collaborative work they have conducted with local partners.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the NHS Pension Scheme in each year since 1980-81; how much she forecasts will be spent on the NHS Pension Scheme in each year between 2007-08 and 2050-51; and how many members of the scheme there are.

Rosie Winterton: Information from 1980-81 is available only at disproportionate cost, however, information from 1995-96 to 2004-05, the latest year that pension scheme accounts are available, is shown in the table.
	For future years, estimates for the scheme are included within the total figures for gross spending on unfunded pensions in payment as a percentage of GDP that were published in the December 2005 Long-term Public Finance Report by HM Treasury.
	Data published in the NHS Pensions Agency Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06 show there are a total of 2,156,059 members of the NHS pension scheme. These comprise 1,263,349 active members, 536,407 pensioners and 356,303 deferred members.
	
		
			  Pension Scheme Expenditure 
			   000 
			 1995-96 2,055,067 
			 1996-97 2,196,286 
			 1997-98 2,372,688 
			 1998-99 2,426,665 
			 1999-2000 2,608,224 
			 2000-01 3,019,535 
			 2001-02 3,094,969 
			 2002-03 3,265,835 
			 2003-04 3,486,228 
			 2004-05 3,654,113 
			  Source:  NHS Pension Scheme accounts.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the arrangements are for the payment of pensions to people who retire early through ill health for each pension scheme for which her Department is responsible; what the incidence of ill health retirement was as a percentage of all retirement for such schemes for each year since 1988-89; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The national health service pension scheme provides that a member who retires from pensionable employment because of physical or mental infirmity that makes him permanently incapable of efficiently discharging the duties of that employment should be entitled to a pension under this regulation if he has at least two years qualifying service.
	Data are not available for the period up to 1993. The Review of Ill Health Retirement in the Public Sector, published by HM Treasury in 2000, indicated that during the five-year period from 1994 to 1999, medical retirements equated to 23 per cent. of all retirements in the NHS.
	Data for the years 2000 to 2004 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Year end 31 March  Pension Awards( 1)  Ill Health Awards( 2)  Approximate percentage of Ill Health 
			 2000 24,228 5,098 21 
			 2001 24,558 4,482 18 
			 2002 26,215 4,507 17 
			 2003 28,098 3,384 12 
			 2004 29,635 3,807 13 
			 Total 132,734 21,278 (3)16 
			 (3) Average.   Sources:(1) NHS Pensions Agency annual reports.  (2) NHS pensions division paper prepared for the technical advisory group.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the  (a) present and  (b) future retirement age arrangements are for each public sector pension scheme for which her Department has responsibility; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what the current  (a) accrual rate and  (b) normal retirement age is for each public sector pension scheme for which her Department is responsible; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The national health service pension scheme has a pension accrual rate of 1/80th plus a lump sum accrual rate of 3/80th.
	The current normal pension age for employees of the scheme is age 60. However, some closed groups of staff have a retained right to receive benefits from age 55.
	In line with the principles agreed with the trades unions at the Public Services Forum in 2005, a new pension scheme will be introduced for new entrants to the NHS which will have a normal pension age of 65.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings estimate she has made of the effect on costs of the reforms to public sector pensions agreed with trades unions in 2005 for each year between 2006-07 and 2050-51; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury gave him on 31 October 2006,  Official Report, column 317W.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current rate of ill-health retirement is for each public sector pension scheme for which her Department is responsible; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The most recent statistics available for the national health service pension scheme are for 2003-04. These show that of the 29,635 NHS pensions awarded in England and Wales, 3,807 (13 per cent.) were on the grounds of ill health.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current estimate is of the unfunded liability, in present value terms, of each public sector pension scheme for which her Department is responsible; and on what assumptions for  (a) discount rate and  (b) longevity the estimate is based.

Rosie Winterton: The last published resource accounts for the national health service pension scheme are those for the year ending 31 March 2005 when the estimated liabilities were 128 billion. The assumed discount rate was 3.5 per cent. in excess of price inflation (RPI). Male and female contributing members were assumed to have life expectancy from age 60 of 26 years and 29 years respectively. Male and female pensioners who retired on age grounds were assumed to have life expectancy from age 60 of 24 years and 27 years respectively.

Perinatal Medicine

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in her Department have had during 2006 with the British Association for Perinatal Medicine; what issues were raised; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department greatly values the important contribution the British Association for Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) has made to perinatal services over the past 30 years. We have worked closely with BAPM, particularly on neonatal services.
	During 2006, BAPM's discussions with officials have focused on nurse prescribing, payment by results, neonatal networks and donor breast milk. There have been no meetings with Ministers.

Pharmacies

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent changes there have been in the distribution of drugs to pharmacies; and what discussions she has had with the  (a) National Pharmacy Association and  (b) Dispensing Doctors Association about those changes.

Andy Burnham: There have been no recent changes in the distribution of drugs to pharmacies although Pfizer Limited has recently announced that it agreed a single wholesale distribution channel which will take effect in early 2007.
	No discussions have taken place with either the National Pharmacy Association or the Dispensing Doctors Association about this change.

Physiotherapists

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) trainee physiotherapists and  (b) qualified physiotherapists not employed in the NHS there are in England.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Post Mortems

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to increase the accuracy of post mortems and death certificate documentation.

Andy Burnham: The Department has published guidance for national health service mortuary services Care and Respect in Death. This advises that a mortuary service which is fit for purpose will have in place facilities, protocols and procedures which enable staff to provide the required service efficiently, effectively and to appropriate clinical standards. It makes reference to the guidelines on autopsy practice published by the Royal College of Pathologists. We would expect pathologists carrying out post mortems to have regard to these in their practice.
	Doctors completing Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs) do so as a duty under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953. Doctors are required to complete MCCDs to the best of their knowledge and belief. Guidelines on completing death certificates are included at the front of every book of certificates.
	In April 2005, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published further guidance to doctors on the General Register Office website at www.gro.gov.uk/medcert. These guidelines were drawn to the attention of doctors in a Chief Medical Officer's update in summer 2005. Issuing death certificates is specified as a competency that junior doctors must demonstrate in the curriculum for foundation years one and two in postgraduate medical education.
	Departmental officials are working closely with colleagues in the ONS and the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) to ensure that the death certification process helps to safeguard patients and provides the important information needed for public health and clinical governance purposes. In particular, we will be working with colleagues in the DCA to see how the proposal for a Chief Medical Adviser to the coroner service, set out in the foreword to the draft Coroners Bill published in June 2006, will contribute to raising standards.

Powered Wheelchairs

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to primary care trusts on eligibility for access to powered wheelchairs for the severely disabled; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The NHS Modernisation Agency published the national wheelchair service good practice guide in 2004. Eligibility, however, is based on locally determined criteria which should include clinical and lifestyle needs and the ability of the client to use the specified chair safely.

Practice Based Commissioning

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of general practitioners have signed up to practice based commissioning in each primary care trust.

Caroline Flint: Latest available data for September show that 81 per cent. of practices are engaged with practice based commissioning (PBC). 82 per cent. of the old primary care trusts (PCTs) have put in place arrangements to support PBC.
	New PCTs came into existence on 1 October 2006 and the Department expects data on practice uptake of PBC in the new PCTs to be collected in early November. We will then publish these analysed data, along with those at SHA level that we currently publish, later in the year.

Pregnancy

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies her Department has carried out into the health effects of caffeine on the development of unborn babies; what advice her Department has issued to pregnant women about avoiding caffeine during pregnancy; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: In 2001 the Food Standards Agency asked the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) to review the effects of caffeine on the development of unborn babies. Based on the Committee's opinion the Food Standards Agency advises that pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to the equivalent of no more than four average cups of coffee a day (a total of 300 mg caffeine a day from all sources).
	The Food Standards Agency has also commissioned further research addressing the health effects of caffeine during pregnancy. This project is due to report in summer 2007.

Pregnancy

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if her Department will provide a grant to the housing programme for homeless pregnant women organised by the LIFE organisation; what recent representations she has received about funding such programmes; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Secretary of State for Health, through the Section 64 General Scheme of Grants (S64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968), has power to make grants to voluntary organisations in England whose activities support the Department of Health policy priorities.
	Department of Health records show that LIFE have not registered for any information on grants and are therefore not currently in receipt of funding.

Premature Births

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received on the guidelines produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on birth certificates for babies born alive before 22 weeks since January 2006; how many  (a) supported and  (b) opposed this proposal; how many and what percentage were written by (i) hon. Members, (ii) organisations and (iii) members of the public; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a number of pieces of guidance relating to foetal viability and registration of births and deaths since 1996. The RCOG is currently working on further guidance in this area, the publication date of which is not yet available.
	Due to the way we record correspondence topics we cannot supply information about representations received without disproportionate cost.

Premature Births

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies were born below 22 weeks gestation in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  NHS hospital total deliveries below 22 gestation weeks, 2000-05 
			  Gestational weeks  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02  2000-01 
			 Under 20 40 100 50 30 80 
			 20 50 60 60 40 40 
			 21 80 110 90 50 70 
			 Total 170 270 200 120 190 
			  Source:   NHS Maternity Statistics, England 2000-05. 
		
	
	While there continue to be medical advances in caring for premature babies, only a very small proportion of babies born at under 22 weeks gestation survive. Of these, there are high risks of death due to immaturity and also, significant concerns about their quality of lifemost have severe problems. In contrast, the situation markedly improves at 24 to 25 weeks. There is evidence that chances of survival at 22 weeks gestation are approximately only 1 per cent., whereas this increases to 26 per cent. at 24 weeks.

Primary Care Trusts

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much primary care trusts are required to pay back annually following receipt of money from the Community Hospital Fund; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The terms under which funds will be allocated to support the community hospital programme have not yet been determined. It is a five-year programme with the funds being made available for a very wide range of purposes. Accordingly, the conditions attached to any funding will depend on the circumstances of the local national health service and the purpose for which the funding is being made available.

Primary Care Trusts

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was allocated to the Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust under the capitation formula in each of the last 10 years; how much was made available to the Trust in each year; and what the equivalent figures are estimated to be for 2006-07.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not available in the format required. Revenue allocations were first made to primary care trusts (PCTs) in 2003-04. Prior to this, allocations were made directly to health authorities on an annual basis. It is therefore not possible to show allocations at PCT level before 2003-04.
	Table 1 shows the 2003-04 to 2005-06 revenue allocations to Central Lancashire PCT.
	
		
			  Table 1: 2003-04 to 2005-06 PCT revenue allocations 
			  Central Lancashire PCT  000 
			 2003-04 400,114 
			 2004-05 437,627 
			 2005-06 476,947 
			 Three year increase 108,767 
			 Three year increase (%) 29.5 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the 2006-07 and 2007-08 revenue allocations to Central Lancashire PCT.
	
		
			  Table 2: 2006-07 and 2007-08 PCT revenue allocations 
			  Central Lancashire PCT  000 
			 2006-07 556,430 
			 2007-08 607,500 
			 Two year increase 96,741 
			 Two year increase (%) 18.9 
			  Note: It is not possible to compare allocations rounds for the following reasons: changes are made to the weighted capitation formula for each allocations round, therefore comparisons would not be on a like-for-like basis; and 2006-08 is the first year that primary medical services were incorporated into the revenue allocations. 
		
	
	The amount made available through Parliamentary funding, which represents the cash received for the year from the Parliamentary vote, to the three predecessor PCTs to the Central Lancashire PCT each year from 2002-03 to 2004-05, which is the latest year currently available, are as follows:
	
		
			   Parliamentary funding amount( 1)  (000) 
			 2002-03 413,285 
			 2003-04 455,494 
			 2004-05 503,378 
			 (1 )These figures are from the audited summarisation schedules.

Primary Care Trusts

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applicants there were for the chair of Bassetlaw primary care trust; and how many applicants were shortlisted.

Rosie Winterton: Six applications were received, of which two were interviewed.

Primary Care Trusts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has published a formal response to the study entitled Characteristics of primary care trusts in financial deficit and surplusa corporate study in the English NHS, dated 1 June 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Department has noted this report with interest.
	Independent Government auditors agree with the Department's assessment that there is no single, simple cause of deficits, just as there are no single, simple solutions for eradicating them. More specifically, our analysis of the provisional outturn figures for 2005-06 shows that there is very little correlation between the size of deficits and any of the factors relating to funding, including allocations per head and allocation growth. The Department's chief economic adviser is currently undertaking a detailed analysis of the potential causes of deficits. He will report later in the year.

Primary Care Trusts

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust on salaries for  (a) general and senior managers,  (b) nurses and midwives and  (c) administrative and clerical staff in each of the last five financial years.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the requested format.

Primary Care Trusts

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from  (a) NHS organisations and  (b) others on the methodology used to calculate revenue allocations to primary care trusts in the last 12 months; what the content of these representations was; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Since October 2005, a variety of representations have been made to the Department on the weighted-capitation formula and revenue allocations to primary care trusts. These include representations on funding, the weighted capitation formula, pace of change policy, rurality, mental health and populations.

Primary Care Trusts

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the new primary care trusts will take on the agreements reached by their predecessor bodies with local provider trusts on the quantity of services commissioned for a local health community.

Ivan Lewis: All liabilities to which the old primary care trust was subject immediately before 1 October 2006 were on 1 October 2006 transferred to the new primary care trust.

Primary Care Trusts

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust area are not registered with a general practitioner; and how many vacancies there are on general practitioner lists in this area.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally.

Primary Care Trusts

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which  (a) posts and  (b) services in Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust (PCT) are under review as a result of the requirement on the PCT to find savings in the 2006-07 financial year.

Andy Burnham: It is the responsibility of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to analyse their local situation and develop plans, in liaison with their local national health service trusts and primary care providers, to deliver high quality NHS services.

Primary Care Trusts

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust expects its negotiations with Milton Keynes Hospital on the 2006-07 budget to conclude.

Andy Burnham: It is for the local primary care trust to reach a mutually acceptable agreement with the hospital and the timing of this is in their hands.

Primary Care Trusts

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust expects to announce what measures it plans to take in order to meet its revised budget.

Andy Burnham: It is the responsibility of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to analyse their local situation and develop plans, in liaison with their local national health service trusts and primary care providers, to deliver high quality NHS services.

Primary Care Trusts

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most recent estimate is of the outturn against planned expenditure of Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust in 2006-07.

Andy Burnham: For 2005-06, the final outturn position reported by Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust (PCT) shows a deficit of 2.3 million. At quarter one of 2006-07, Milton Keynes PCPs forecast outturn position shows a 4.2 million deficit.

Product Distribution

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1839W, on product distribution, what form the assurances from Pfizer take; and when and by whom they were made.

Andy Burnham: The assurances were provided by means of a letter received on 9 October 2006 addressed to the Secretary of State from Mr. Olivier Brandicourt, Managing Director, Pfizer Ltd. This stated:
	Under our new arrangements we will guarantee appropriate and continued supply of Pfizer prescription medicines to pharmacists, hospitals and dispensing doctors.

Recruitment Campaigns

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost was of NHS recruitment campaigns in each financial year since 1997-98; and how much she expects to be spent on campaigns in 2006-07.

Ivan Lewis: The following table sets out the total cost of national health service recruitment campaigns in each financial year since 1997-98.
	
		
			   NHS including nurse recruitment 
			 1997-98 1.3 
			 1998-99 4.9 
			 1999-2000 4.21 
			 2000-01 4.9 
			 2001-02 5 
			 2002-03 4.22 
			 2003-04 4.9 
			 2004-05 5.84 
			 2005-06 0.24 
		
	
	At present, we have no plans for a major NHS recruitment advertising campaign in 2006-07 but there may be recruitment for specific advertising for shortage posts, for example radiographers.

Recycling

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to encourage the use of reused and recycled materials in capital procurement projects for which her Department is responsible.

Ivan Lewis: It is the Department's policy to encourage the use of reused or recycled materials in any capital procurement project, where it is appropriate and provides value for money.

Redundancies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many redundancies there were in her Department in each year since 1997; what the cost of such redundancies was in each year; how many temporary staff were employed in each year; and how many staff were seconded by outside organisations to posts within the Department in each year.

Ivan Lewis: The information is as follows.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06 
			 Number of redundancies 24 8 
			 Cost of redundancies ( million) 4.32 2.34 
			 Number of temporary staff employed(1) 120 90 
			 (1) Figures have been taken from the civil service website, which can be found at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/archive/staff/index.asp 
		
	
	The redundancy figures need to be seen in the context of the Department's change programme, which began in 2003, and through which it committed to reduce its staffing significantly, from 3,645 full-time equivalents to 2,245 full-time equivalents (a reduction of 38 per cent.).
	Any redundancy data and expenditure in earlier years could be established only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department has not historically kept central records of secondees into the organisation.

Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial contingencies have been made for chief executive and director redundancies at  (a) departmental,  (b) strategic and  (c) primary care trust level.

Ivan Lewis: The Department each year sets a budget from within the overall administration cash limit to meet the costs of all anticipated staff exits across all grades. No particular money is set aside for chief executive or directors.
	There is no central fund to finance the cost of redundancy at strategic and primary care trust (PCT) levels. National health service organisations have been asked to minimise the cost of severance.
	Guidance has been developed for remuneration committees of NHS organisations to provide advice on good governance and to help ensure value for money:
	Strategic health authority (SHA) reorganisation: chief executive transitions, ensuring good human resource practice and value for money is specifically aimed at SHA chief executives affected by CPLNHS changes and was circulated by the Department of Health to SHAs on 8 May 2006.
	Standards for implementing good human resource practice and value for money when staff are affected by organisational change covers all other staff including PCT chief executives and directors and SHA directors. This guidance was published on the NHS Employers website on 15 June 2006.

Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health of how many projected redundancies in NHS organisations her Department has been notified in each NHS organisation since January 2006; and on what date her Department was notified in each case.

Rosie Winterton: Strategic health authorities have provided an assessment of how many redundancies there have been in the six months to 30 September 2006. Returns for each region were submitted to the Department by 23 October 2006. These figures were provided in a letter to hon. Members and a copy has been placed in the Library.

Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the compulsory redundancies referred to in her Department's report, NHS redundancy figures, cost in total.

Rosie Winterton: The data collection exercise undertaken to identify the number of redundancies published on 30 October 2006 did not include data on cost.

Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many  (a) compulsory and  (b) voluntary redundancies there were in (i) the first six months of each year and (ii) each year since 1997-98, broken down by NHS organisation; and how many redundancies in each category she expects in the last six months of 2006-07;
	(2)  when and by whom the decision was taken to publish NHS redundancy figures for January to June 2006; what the cost of collecting such figures was; and whether the Department plans to publish such data on a six-monthly basis.

Rosie Winterton: Information on notified redundancies prior to 1 April 2006 is not collected centrally.
	Strategic health authorities were asked by the Department of Health to provide an assessment of the number of redundancies in the six months to 30 September 2006. Returns for each region were submitted to the Department by 23 October 2006. These figures were provided in a letter to hon. Members. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.
	No estimate has been made of the cost of this exercise. The collection and publication of further data on redundancies is under consideration.

Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  for what reason redundancies in special health authorities are not available;
	(2)  how many redundancies occurred in NHS Direct between January and June 2006.

Rosie Winterton: In the recent collection exercise the Department did not request information on redundancies from special health authorities including NHS Direct because they were expected to make few redundancies in the period of the collection. The Department is putting plans in place to collect this information from special health authorities in the future.

Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) nurses,  (b) doctors,  (c) dentists and  (d) other clinicians were made compulsorily redundant in the first six months of 2006-07; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the letter my noble Friend the Minister for NHS Reform, (Lord Warner) issued to hon. Members on 30 October, a copy of which is available in the Library. Information on compulsory redundancies was returned for the following staff groups.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Medical 11 
			 Nurse 135 
			 Midwives 0 
			 AHPs 8 
			 HCS 13 
			 Non-clinical 736 
			 Total 903 
			  Source: Information was collected from strategic health authorities.

Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) compulsory redundancies,  (b) voluntary redundancies and  (c) vacant posts left unfilled there were in each (i) NHS trust and (ii) primary care trust in the last six months; and what the numbers in each category are expected to be by 31 December 2006.

Rosie Winterton: Strategic health authorities provided an assessment of how many redundancies there had been in the six months to 30 September 2006.
	Information on the number of redundancies, both voluntary and compulsory, broken down by trust and primary care trust has been placed in the Library.
	Information on the number of vacant posts left unfilled in each trust in the last six months and the requested information on projections is not collected centrally.

Regional Commissioner (West Midlands)

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects a Regional Commissioner for the West Midlands to be appointed.

Rosie Winterton: The new Appointments Commission was established on 1 October 2006 as a non-departmental public body of the Department. It is the intention that all the health and social care commissioners, required by the constitution of the new body, will be appointed through open competition by 31 March 2007.

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision has been made for the increase in admissions to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton consequent upon the reconfiguration of Worthing hospital.

Caroline Flint: The provision of hospital services in Brighton and Worthing is a matter for the local national health service.

School Nurses

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of school nurses employed by  (a) primary care trusts,  (b) public sector organisations and  (c) the independent sector in England in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: School nurses were separately identified for the first time in the September 2003 national health service work force census but these data were incomplete and inaccurate. A table has been placed in the Library which shows the number of school nurses employed by primary care trusts and trusts from 2004 to 2005.
	The Department does not collect information on the number of school nurses employed outside the NHS.

Sexual Health

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sexual health family planning clinics there were in each primary care trust in England in each year since their inception; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally. The Department of Health currently collects data only at primary care trust (PCT) or national health service trust level, not data from individual clinics.
	It is a matter for local PCTs to determine what level of contraceptive service it provides, and whom it commissions the services from, in order to meet the needs of its local population and we will be publishing best practice guidance for contraception and abortion services later this year to assist them in this.
	A copy of the latest bulletin NHS Contraceptive Services, England 2005-06 has been placed in the Library. The information is also available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/nhscontraceptiveservseng2005to06

Single General Practitioner Practices

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which wards in the London Borough of Bexley have single GP practices.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not held in the format requested. However, the latest available General Practitioner (GP) census information, September 2005, shows that of the 37 GP practices in Bexley Care Trust, 11 of these are single practices.

Skipton Fund

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will assess the merits of extending eligibility to payments from the Skipton Fund to relatives or dependants of those infected by NHS contaminated blood products who died before 29 August 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department has no plans to change the terms of reference of the Skipton Fund.

Sleep Apnoea

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of people in  (a) England,  (b) Redbridge and  (c) Waltham Forest who have sleep apnoea; what treatment is available for sleep apnoea on the NHS; how many are estimated to suffer from it; where in East London the treatment is available; what policy local primary care trusts have for funding the relevant treatment; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Data on the number of people with sleep apnoea are not available centrally but the British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association estimates that 4 per cent. of men and 2 per cent. of women are affected by the condition.
	Patients with sleep apnoea are able to access a range of NHS and social care services, tailored to meet their individual needs, to help them manage their condition. It is for health professionals in primary care organisations, in consultation with other stakeholders, to determine which services their populations require and ensure the appropriate level of provision. In terms of sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea, this would include, where appropriate, the provision of continuous positive airway pressure equipment as well as other treatments and interventions such as advice to promote weight loss. It is for health professionals to decide what treatment to offer patients, in consultation with the patient and informed by the patient's medical history.
	Information on specialist sleep apnoea services in east London is not available centrally.

Social Services

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the Government have spent on  (a) adult and  (b) children's social services provision for each providing local authority (i) in total and (ii) per capita in each year for which records are available;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the budget for  (a) adult and  (b) children's social services provision in each providing authority in England in 2006-07;
	(3)  what funding her Department plans to make available for  (a) adult and  (b) children's social services for each providing local authority for each of the next three financial years (i) in total and (ii) per capita.

Ivan Lewis: Local authority funding for social services is derived from a variety of sources both from within central Government and also determined locally.
	It is for individual local authorities to manage and direct their own resources in accordance with local priorities and the needs of the communities to which they are accountable.
	Detailed Personal Social Services expenditure data are collated annually and published by the Information Centre for Health and Social Care. A copy of the 2004-05 return has been placed in the Library, however these data are not returned on a per capita basis and the requested information is therefore not available.
	As part of the Local Government Finance Settlement 2006-07, the Department of Health will make available 1,590 million of specific revenue grant funding, and 48 million of capital grants for adult social services to fund any cost pressures councils may face in delivering their adults' social care commitments.
	Over the three years to 2007-08, the Spending Review 2004 provides an increase in funding of nearly 2 billion, taking total net adult Personal Social Services resources to 12.5 billion.
	Specific grant allocations to local authorities for 2006-07 and 2007-08 made by the Department of Health are contained in the Local Authority Social Services Letter 2005(6), a copy of which is available in the Library.
	Resource allocations for financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11 will be determined by the Spending Review 2007. Responsibility for children's services resides with the Department for Education and Skills.

Social Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on social services by  (a) local authorities,  (b) her Department and  (c) other sources in each year since 1997; and what the percentage year-on-year change was in the budget for social services in (i) real and (ii) nominal terms in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	Table 1 shows adult social services spending covered by the three funding sources of the Government, local authorities via council tax and client contributions, up to 2004-05, the last year for which full actuals are currently available.
	Table 2 shows the year-on-year change in the level of Government funding in nominal and real terms up to 2005-06, the last year for which Government funding for social care was separately identified.
	
		
			  Table 1: Spend on adult social services personal social services gross expenditure, cash terms 
			   million 
			   1997-98  1998-99  1999-00  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Client contributions 1,500 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,200 2,300 2,100 2,000 
			 Government funding via specific and general grants 6,174 6,652 6,905 7,194 7,831 8,875 9,812 10,879 
			 Local authority funding 55 -70 336 589 459 526 925 891 
			 Total(1,2,3) 7,729 8,382 9,241 9,983 10,490 11, 701 12,837 13,770 
			 (1) From 2003-04 excludes the nursing care costs element as the NHS took over payment of this from 1 April 2003. (2) Local authority expenditure for 2000-01 and later years is obtained from the PSS EX1 return; individual service lines include overhead costs. For years prior to 2000-01 it is obtained from the R03 current expenditure return but with a share of overhead cost allocated to service lines on a pro rata basis. Figures for 2000-01 and later years are therefore not necessarily comparable with those for earlier years. (3) Includes expenditure funded from the DCLG Supporting People grant introduced in 2003-04 and classified as social services expenditure.  Source: RO3 and PSS EX1 returns 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Changes in the Department of Health budget for adult social care 
			   Total PSS: adults only ( million)  Percentage growth year-on-year  Percentage growth real terms 
			 1997-98 6,174 6.8 4.1 
			 1998-99 6,652 7.8 4.7 
			 1999-2000 6,905 3.8 1.6 
			 2000-01 7,194 4.2 3.0 
			 2001-02 7,831 8.8 6.1 
			 2002-03 8,875 13.3 9.6 
			 2003-04 9,812 10.6 7.5 
			 2004-05 10,879 10.9 8.7 
			 2005-06 11,788 8.4 5.7 
			  Notes: 1. Responsibility for children's funding transferred to the Department for Education and Skills after 2003-04. Prior to this Department personal social services allocations covered children and adults, but to provide a consistent trend only adult social care spend is shown here, i.e. in line with the Secretary of State's current responsibilities. 2. Figures for 2006-07 and 2007-08 cannot be included due to the introduction of the four block model. This means that it is no longer appropriate to refer to separate budgeted amounts for younger adults' and older people's service blocks. The Department is currently awaiting further guidance on the presentation of adult social care resources from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

South East Coast Strategic Health Authority

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions South East Coast Strategic Health Authority has had with the management of  (a) Worthing Hospital and  (b) Southlands Hospital in West Sussex regarding the redeployment of staff following the planned service reconfiguration.

Caroline Flint: This is a matter for NHS South East Coast.

South London and Maudsley NHS Trust

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will offer South London and Maudsley NHS Trust financial assistance following the budget set by Southwark and Lambeth Primary Care Trust; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: I have met with my hon. Friend and other local hon. and right hon. Members on this issue. Following that meeting, I have asked officials to discuss this with NHS London and report back to me.

Special Severance Payments

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many special severance payments have been made in each year since 2001, broken down by NHS trust; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.

Staff Bonuses

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in her Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total work force they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid has been; what the largest single payment was in each year; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The numbers of staff who received bonus payments in 2004-05 and 2005-06, together with the proportion of staff they represent and the total amount of bonus paid, are set out as follows:
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06 
			 Number 679 581 
			 Amount () 1,064,464.72 1,252,140.97 
			 Proportion of staff (percentage) 30.25 25.37 
		
	
	The largest single payment in 2004-05 was 22,500 and the largest payment in 2005-06 was 30,000. The most significant proportion of bonuses paid to staff are to senior civil servants. The Department operates the payment system for the senior civil service (SCS) in line with the Senior Salaries Review Body recommendations and wider Cabinet Office policy. The largest single payment in both cases refers to a senior civil service bonus and is in line with the recommendations of the above.
	The Department changed payroll provider contracts in 2003-04 and information for 2001-02 and 2003-04 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Surgical Wards (Staffing)

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the findings of the recent study led by the Dean of the Florence Nightingale School for Nursing on the effect of ward staffing levels on the care of surgical patients.

Rosie Winterton: Patient safety is always a top priority for the national health service and we now have about an extra 89,000 more nurses working in the NHS delivering high quality care for patients than in 1997. Nursing ratios are a complex subject which has yet to gain a specific agreement within the nursing profession. We welcome this addition to this area of research which demonstrates the key role nurses play in positive patient outcomes. It is for individual NHS trusts to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities and to commission services accordingly. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community including the provision of ward staff.

Tattoos

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the annual cost to the NHS of removing tattoos; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement given on 7 November 2006.

Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has commissioned into new anti-TB drugs; and when that research is expected to be concluded.

Caroline Flint: The Department funds research into the development of vaccines and on diagnostic tests for tuberculosis (TB).
	The principal sponsor of research into the development of anti-TB drugs is the Department for International Development (DfID). DfID is currently supporting such research by funding the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development. In the period 2005 to 2008 DflD's contribution to the Alliance will amount to 6.5 million.
	At present, the Alliance has two drugs that are being tested in clinical trials. Subject to the outcome of those trials, it is expected that they will be available for routine use by 2012.

Tuberculosis

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the incidence of tuberculosis among people who entered the UK and became resident there within the previous five years was in  (a) 1995,  (b) 1998,  (c) 2001,  (d) 2004 and  (e) the latest year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the rates of tuberculosis for population groups born in England was in (a) 1995,  (b) 1998,  (c) 2001, (d) 2004 and  (e) the latest year for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the following tables. 2004 data will be provided as soon as they are available.
	
		
			  Number and rate of non-UK born tuberculosis cases that entered the UK within the last five years (England) 
			   Number  Rate per 100,000 population 
			 1998 890 141.4 
			 2001 1,311 156.2 
			 2003 2,039 188.1 
		
	
	
		
			  Number and rate of UK-born tuberculosis cases (England) 
			   Number  Rate per 100,000 population 
			 1998 2,175 4.9 
			 2001 1,963 4.4 
			 2003 1,765 4.0 
			  Notes: 1. No data are available for 1995 since this precedes the introduction of ETS and there was no National Tuberculosis Survey (these were carried out at five-yearly intervals prior to the introduction of ETS) in 1995. 2. 2004 data are not available at present. 3. The LFS population estimates which have been used to calculate rates are liable to sampling errors. 4. Entry into the UK within the previous five years will include those who entered the UK during the year in which they were reported as a TB case e.g. for 1998 the data include persons who entered the UK in 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995 and 1994.  Sources: 1. Health Protection Agency Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance (ETS) system 2. Data as at 24 October 2006

Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the risk of contracting bovine tuberculosis from unpasteurised milk.

Caroline Flint: All dairy herds which supply raw drinking milk are tested annually for bovine tuberculosis (TB). Milk from herds which have lost their officially tuberculosis free (OTF) status can only be sold for human consumption if it is pasteurised. Producers of raw milk cheese or other raw milk products are advised to source their milk from herds which are tested annually for evidence of TB infection. In cases where a herd loses its OTF status the local authority will undertake a risk assessment on any products which were made recently.
	The Food Standards Agency considers that public health is adequately protected by these measures.

Teenage Smoking

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1020W, on teenage smoking, if she will list the  (a) magazines,  (b) newspapers and  (c) other publications in which her Department placed advertising on the risks of smoking in 2005-06 aimed at teenagers; what assessment she plans to make of the effectiveness of each advertisement; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The following media were used in the Department's 2005-06 campaign targeting young adult smokers (including 16 to 19-year-olds):
	 (a) Magazines
	Targeting males: FHM, Loaded, Front, Maxim, Fast Car, Zoo, Nuts, Max Power, Kerrang, FourFourTwo, BBC Top Gear, MixMag.
	Targeting females: Closer, Heat, More, Now, B, Company, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, New Woman, OK, New, Hello, Glamour
	 (b) Newspapers
	 The Sun,  The Daily Star, the  News of the World, and  The Daily Star Sunday
	No other print publications were used. However, the campaign also used a number of other media channels, including TV, cinema, local radio, direct mail and washroom panels in bars.
	Evaluation of this campaign was of both individual advertisements and the campaign as a whole, through looking at respondents to the advertising via telephone calls to the NHS Smoking Helpline, text responses and the visitors to the campaign websites. We will use these data to inform our campaign planning when targeting this audience in future campaigns.

Tees Review

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on  (a) the Tees Review of the reconfiguration of hospital services in the Tees area,  (b) the Darzi Review of acute health services in the Tees area and  (c) the Independent Reconfiguration Panel review of maternity and paediatric services in Teesside.

Andy Burnham: Details of costs incurred for both the Tees review of reconfiguration of hospital services in the Tees area and the Darzi review are available from the strategic health authority at:
	NHS North East
	Riverside House
	The Waterfront
	Goldcrest Way
	Newburn Riverside
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	NE15 8NY
	The annual costs of the independent reconfiguration panel are met by the Department. It is not possible to break down the individual costs of such reviews.

Trans-fats

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to reduce the levels of trans-fats in foods; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) welcomes and encourages the voluntary initiatives some businesses have undertaken to remove or eliminate the use of hydrogenated vegetable oils (which contain trans fats) in their food products. However, any product reformulation to reduce or remove hydrogenated vegetable oils should not result in a rise in saturated fats. Although dietary intakes of trans fats are well within maximum recommended intakes, saturated fat intakes currently exceed public health recommendations, consequently saturated fat reduction remains the FSA's priority.

Under-age Drinking

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children under the age of 15 years were admitted to hospital for alcohol-related problems in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by region.

Caroline Flint: The information in the table shows the number of children under the age of 15 years who were admitted to hospital for alcohol-related problems in 2004-05 by strategic health authority (SHA). Data are compiled by region.
	Total in year admission episodes for 0 to 14-year-olds for all diagnosis codes (F10, K70, T51) in all SHAs = 2612
	
		
			  Number of children aged 0 to 14 years admitted to hospital with alcohol related illness (Diagnosis Codes F10, K70, T51) in 2004-05 
			  Age group  SHA code  SHA of residence description  Total finished in year admissions 
			 14 years and under Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 81 
			  Q02 Bedfordshire and Herfordshire 83 
			  Q03 Essex 42 
			  Q04 North West London 39 
			  Q05 North Central London 38 
			  Q06 North East London 32 
			  Q07 South East London 44 
			  Q08 South West London 67 
			  Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 71 
			  Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley 75 
			  Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 122 
			  Q12 West Yorkshire 95 
			  Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire 173 
			  Q14 Greater Manchester 238 
			  Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside 166 
			  Q16 Thames Valley 74 
			  Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 111 
			  Q18 Kent and Medway 85 
			  Q19 Surrey and Sussex 126 
			  Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 84 
			  Q21 South West Peninsula 90 
			  Q22 Dorset and Somerset 58 
			  Q23 South Yorkshire 79 
			  Q24 Trent 126 
			  Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 44 
			  Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire 110 
			  Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country 129 
			  Q28 West Midlands South 88 
			  Q99 Wales 12 
			  S Scotland 1 
			  U Englandnot otherwise specified 10 
			  X Foreign (including Isle of Man and Channel Islands) 6 
			  Y Unknown 13 
			 Total   2,612 
			  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care.

University Hospital of Hartlepool

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of those women who gave birth at the University Hospital of Hartlepool in each of the last five years were aged  (a) 14 years and below,  (b) 15 to 16,  (c) 17 to 19,  (d) 20 to 29,  (e) 30 to 39 and  (f) 40 years and above.

Ivan Lewis: The information is available at Trust level only and is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Count of finished consultant episodes of women who gave birth at the North Tees and Hartlepool national health service trust. NHS hospitals, England 2000-01 to 2004-05 
			  Period  Mother's age at delivery  Finished consultant episodes 
			 2000-01 14 and below 3 
			  15-16 41 
			  17-19 371 
			  20-29 1,608 
			  30-39 1,075 
			  40 and above 44 
			  Not Known  
			  Other 155 
			
			 2001-02 Please see footnotes Total, 3,418 
			
			 2002-03 14 and below 4 
			  15-16 47 
			  17-19 360 
			  20-29 1,821 
			  30-39 1,248 
			  40 and above 65 
			  Not Known 11 
			  Other  
			
			 2003-04 14 and below 1 
			  15-16 41 
			  17-19 362 
			  20-29 1,869 
			  30-39 1,283 
			  40 and above 57 
			  Not Known 9 
			  Other  
			
			 2004-05 14 and below 2 
			  15-16 45 
			  17-19 377 
			  20-29 1,941 
			  30-39 1,275 
			  40 and above 62 
			  Not Known 10 
			  Other  
			  Notes: Finished consultant episode (FEC) An FEC is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year. Mother's age at delivery. This field contains the mother's age in whole years on the date of delivery. It is calculated from the mother's date of birth and the first baby's date of birth. Episode type 2 = Delivery Episode 5 = Other delivery event Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e., the data are ungrossed) Data quality Hospital Episode Statistics are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts in England. The Health and Social Care Information Centre liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, The Information Centre for Health and Social Care.  For year 2001-02 it was not possible to break down the data by age of mother because it is missing for this particular Trust.

Vacant NHS Posts

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacant posts were deleted by NHS organisations in the first six months of  (a) each financial year since 1997-98 and  (b) 2006-07; and how many vacant posts have been deleted by NHS organisations in each full financial year since 1997-98.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Waiting Lists/Times

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients on inpatient waiting lists were seen within six months in each year since 1990.

Andy Burnham: The data requested are shown in table 1 which shows inpatient activity levels in each of the years requested. Data in table 1 is not adjusted to take account of periods of time when it is inappropriate or unsafe for medical reasons to treat a patient, or when patients decide to wait for social reasons, or when patients ask to be taken off a list for a period of time. Data in table 1 are therefore not comparable with the Korner data relating to the waiting time standards held by the Department, shown in table 2. Patients can continue to expect inpatient treatment within six months of a decision to treat in line with the standard established in December 2005.
	
		
			  Table 1: Percentage of patients on inpatient waiting lists seen within six months 
			   Total elective finished in-year admissions (excluding zero day waits)  Percentage of patients treated within one day to six months 
			 1990-91 2,737,785 86 
			 1991-92 2,960,550 84 
			 1992-93 3,164,149 85 
			 1993-94 3,396,950 85 
			 1994-95 3,669,186 84 
			 1995-96 3,788,030 85 
			 1996-97 3,805,286 86 
			 1997-98 3,915,661 85 
			 1998-99 4,110,739 82 
			 1999-2000 3,916,820 85 
			 2000-01 3,776,509 84 
			 2001-02 3,636,817 83 
			 2002-03 3,727,727 82 
			 2003-04 3,844,329 82 
			 2004-05 3,778,028 87 
			  Notes: 1. A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. Figures are grossed for coverage, except for 2003-04 and 2004-05, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, The Information Centre for health and social care 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2:Percentage of patients still waiting for treatment who had been waiting less than six months. Inpatient waiting times dataKorner returns 1990 to 2006-11-07 
			   Number waiting for admission  Percentage waiting under six months 
			  Quarter ending March 
			 1990 958,976 58.2 
			 1991 948,243 61.0 
			 1992 917,717 70.5 
			 1993 994,974 72.6 
			 1994 1,065,369 71.5 
			 1995 1,044,051 76.9 
			 1996 1,048,029 80.1 
			 1997 1,158,004 75.0 
			 1998 1,297,662 70.5 
			 1999 1,072,860 73.9 
			 2000 1,037,066 74.1 
			 2001 1,006,727 75.6 
			 2003 992,075 80.6 
			 2004 905,753 90.9 
			 2005 821,722 95.0 
			 2006 784,554 99.9 
			  Note: Data show percentage of patients still waiting, who had been waiting under six months at the end of March each year.  Source: KH07

Waiting Lists/Times

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is on waiting times for psychological treatments.

Rosie Winterton: The national waiting targets apply to referrals for psychological therapy services that are delivered by psychiatric consultants. However, the majority of referrals for psychological therapies would be to mental health professionals other than consultants such as clinical psychologists or psychotherapists. Therefore, most of the psychological therapy provision provided under the national health service is not covered by the national waiting targets and the information on waiting times that is published periodically by the Department does not capture the volume of activity in this area accurately.
	In line with our manifesto commitment, the Department has embarked on a new programme to provide improved services for people with mild to moderate psychological needs, by extending the availability of psychological therapies of proven effectiveness and connecting interventions currently or potentially available in the workplace, in primary care and other community resources. One of the aims of this programme is to tackle long waiting times.

Waiting Lists/Times

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are waiting for  (a) outpatient and  (b) inpatient care in Hendon; and what the (i) average, (ii) shortest and (iii) longest waiting time was in Hendon in each category in (A) the last 12 months and (B) in 1997.

Andy Burnham: The information is shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Out-patients Commissioner Patients Waited Statistics for the Barnet area 
			  Waiting time in weeks 
			   Quarter ending   Median  Mean 
			 1997-08 June 1997 Barnet Health Authority 5.57 7.81 
			 2006-07 June 2006 Barnet PCT 6.84 6.82 
		
	
	
		
			  Effective length of wait from receipt of GP written referral request to first out-patient attendance 
			 Weeks 
			   Quarter ending  Organisation  Seen 04  Seen 413  Seen 1326  Seen 26+ 
			 1997-08 June 1997 Barnet Health Authority 3,817 3,837 1,186 128 
		
	
	
		
			  Effective length of wait from receipt of GP written referral request to first Outpatient attendance(weeks) 
			  Weeks 
			   Quarter ending  Organisation  Seen 0 to  Seen 1 to 2  Seen 2 to 3  Seen 3 to 4  Seen 4 to 5  Seen 5 to 6  Seen 6 to 7  Seen 7 to 8  Seen 8 to 9 
			 2006-07 June 2006 Barnet PCT 840 1,300 1,100 885 896 895 1,072 959 984 
		
	
	
		
			  Weeks 
			   Quarter ending  Organisation  Seen 9 to 10  Seen 10 to 11  Seen 11 to 12  Seen 12 to 13  Seen 13 to 14  Seen 14 to 15  Seen 15 to 16  Seen 16 to 17  Seen 17+ 
			 2006-07 June 2006 Barnet PCT 1,069 1,234 1,032 715 358 170 82 36 6 
			  Notes: 1. Please note the format of the collection has changed since 1997 regarding the timebands.. 2. Out-patient commissioner data has only been collected since June 1997. 3. The shortest waiting time is represented by the shortest timeband collected and similarly the longest waiting time is represented by the longest timeband collected. 4. Also Barnet Health Authority and Barnet PCT will have different populations for whom they are responsible.  Source: Department of Health QM08R 
		
	
	
		
			  In-patients Commissioner Waiting List Statistics for the Barnet area 
			  Waiting time in weeks 
			   Quarter Ending   Median  Mean 
			 1996-07 March 1997 Barnet Health Authority 12.63 18.21 
			 2006-07 June 2006 Barnet PCT 7.74 9.19 
		
	
	
		
			  In-patients waiting for admission by months waiting 
			  Months 
			   Quarter Ending  Organisation  Total waiting  0-3  3-5  6-8  9-11  12-14  15-17  18-20  21-23  24+ 
			 1996-07 March 1997 Barnet Health Authority 7,321 3,767 1,680 1,013 616 200 30 15 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			  In-patients waiting for admission by weeks waiting 
			  Weeks 
			   Quarter ending  Organisation  Total waiting  Less than 1  1 to 2  2 to 3  3 to 4  4 to 5  5 to 6  6 to 7  7 to 8  8 to 9  9 to 10 
			 2006-07 June 2006 Barnet PCT 4,693 299 316 352 321 241 303 301 288 201 237 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			   Quarter ending  Organisation  10 to 11  11 to 12  12 to 13  13 to 14  14 to 15  15 to 16  16 to 17  17 to 18  18 to 19  19 to 20 
			 2006-07 June 2006 Barnet PCT 141 158 199 176 150 160 143 124 104 106 
		
	
	
		
			 Weeks 
			   Quarter ending  Organisation  20 to 21  21 to 22  22 to 23  23 to 24  24 to 25  25 to 26  26 to 27  27 to 28  28 to 29  29 to  30  30+ 
			 2006-07 June 2006 Barnet PCT 90 101 60 52 52 18 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Notes: 1. Please note the format of the collection has changed since 1997 where the timebands were collected in months. 2. Timebands of patients waiting are now collected in weeks. 3. The shortest waiting time is represented by the shortest timeband collected and similarly the longest waiting time is represented by the longest timeband collected. 4. Also Barnet Health Authority and Barnet PCT will have different populations for whom they are responsible.  Source: Department of Health QF01

Watcombe Hall

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to prevent the Watcombe Hall severe mental health rehabilitation unit from being closed by the Devon Partnership Mental Health Care Trust.

Ivan Lewis: This is a local matter for Devon Partnership NHS Trust. Local national health service organisations are responsible for decisions about the local services they provide.
	NHS South West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) has advised officials that the trust is currently holding a three-month public consultation from 1 September to 24 November, on the future of services at Watcombe Hall, an 11-bed inpatient rehabilitation and recovery centre. I understand that local stakeholders are being involved in designing a new model of care, and that no decisions have been made.
	The hon. Member may therefore wish to engage in this process to register his views.

West Cumberland Hospital

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many admissions of  (a) adults and  (b) minors to the West Cumberland Hospital in the last 12 months have been related to (i) alcohol, (ii) substance and (iii) drug abuse;
	(2)  what the cost was of treating  (a) adults and  (b) minors admitted to the West Cumberland Hospital due to (i) alcohol, (ii) substance and (iii) drug abuse in the last 12 months;
	(3)  what percentage of available treatment time at the West Cumberland Hospital has been used in treating  (a) adults and  (b) minors admitted due to (i) alcohol, (ii) substance and (iii) drug abuse in the last 12 months.

Caroline Flint: Information is not collected centrally on the cost or proportion of time taken in treating particular conditions. The table shows the requested information relating to number of hospital admissions at the North Cumbria Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust.
	
		
			  Count of finished admission episodes for selected primary diagnosesprovider of treatment=RNL North Cumbria Acute Hospitals, NHS hospitals in England, 2004-05 
			  Age group  Drug harm index( 1)  Alcohol related diseases( 2) 
			 Aged up to 18 15 48 
			 Aged 18 and over 66 323 
			 Total 81 371 
			  Notes: 1. Finished admission episodes: A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. Diagnosis (primary diagnosis): The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.

Whipps Cross Hospital

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the likely implications are for Whipps Cross hospital of the decision to invest in Barts hospital; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the local national health service. NHS London has advised the Department that there are no direct implications for Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust of the decision to invest in Barts and the London Hospitals NHS Trust.